Arsenal 'Strangled by Fear' Despite Newcastle Victory But Eze Offers X-Factor

Arsenal's hard-fought 1-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night may have restored their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League, but the performance drew widespread criticism from former players who accused the Gunners of playing with "fear" against their relegation-threatened opponents.

The north London side secured all three points through a second-half header from William Saliba, their first goal from a set piece in seven matches. However, the manner of the display left much to be desired, with Arsenal recording just three shots on target throughout the entire 90 minutes. Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was particularly scathing in his assessment.

"They look strangled by fear," Keane said on Sky Sports. "When you have a title to win, you need to play with freedom and courage. But Arsenal are playing as if they're terrified of making a mistake. That's not a champions mentality." The criticism comes despite Arsenal now being in a strong position to claim their first Premier League title since 2004, with just four matches remaining.

Despite the team struggling to find their rhythm, there was one bright spot in the form of Eberechi Eze. The Crystal Palace loanee, making just his second start for Arsenal since joining in January, showed flashes of the quality that made him one of the Premier League's most exciting attacking midfielders. Eze completed four dribbles and created three chances, including one brilliant through ball that Gabriel Jesus should have converted.

"Eze is a player who can change a game in an instant," former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said. "He has that X-factor that can unlock any defense. If Arsenal are going to win the title, they need to get the ball to him more often and let him express himself. He's the kind of player who can make the difference in tight matches."

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta defended his team's approach, insisting that winning ugly is what matters at this stage of the season. "Three points is all that counts," Arteta said. "We know we need to be more creative going forward, but Newcastle made it very difficult for us. The most important thing is the result and we've done our job today. Now we focus on the next match." Arsenal return to action on Wednesday when they face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.