Martin Keown Calls for Support as Martin Zubimendi Faces Arsenal Scrutiny

Martin Keown has urged Arsenal fans to give Martin Zubimendi more support as the midfielder tries to get back to his best form in the title run-in. The warning comes after Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United and moved three points clear of Manchester City.

Keown and Zubimendi

Keown said the situation Arsenal are in is normal and that it is never easy to be a team that does not win after successive years. He added that Zubimendi needs more support, with the club now carrying the pressure of a title chase rather than trying to chase down the leaders.

The former Arsenal defender also said he was stunned by the naivety of Arsenal at the weekend, pointing to two early corners as a sign of that. His comments landed against the backdrop of the same league run that has brought scrutiny on the team after two consecutive Premier League matches against Bournemouth and Manchester City ended in defeat before the Newcastle win.

Arsenal's title run-in

The victory over Newcastle sent Mikel Arteta’s side back to the top, and it also gave them a small but useful cushion over Manchester City. Arsenal can stretch that lead to six points if they beat Fulham on Saturday before City play again in the league.

That places Zubimendi in the middle of a broader debate about how Arsenal handle pressure. Gary Neville said at the weekend that the midfielder was not demonstrating enough authority, adding that he had been struggling in games for a few weeks and that Mikel Arteta’s side needed a player to dictate play with more control.

Keown’s response was less about tactics and more about the atmosphere around the player. He pointed to Eberechi Eze as an example of someone who handled the nerves well at the weekend, while the message for Zubimendi was direct: Arsenal need their own supporters to help him through a difficult stretch rather than deepen it.