Alan Shearer blasts ‘content’ Nicolas Pepe for performance in Arsenal defeat

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Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer has blasted Nicolas Pepe for his performance during a 2-1 defeat for Arsenal against Everton on Saturday.

The Ivorian was handed the chance to start for a second successive Premier League game as the Gunners went seven games without a win.

Pepe has scored five goals and registered three assists during the current campaign, with his form in the Europa League proving better than his domestic showings.

The £71 million man did score for the Gunners at Everton from the penalty spot but Shearer claimed it wasn’t enough.

He told Match of the Day: “There are no options at all when the ball goes wide. Have a look at Pepe, not prepared to get in at all, he’s jogging sometimes, walking around.

“He’s got to do more, he’s got to try and get on the end of it.

“Look at Pepe on the right-hand side, quite content to sit out there. He’s not bothered at all to try and break his neck to get in and get on the end of it and score goals.

“It’s not just him, there are few players in that team not giving everything for the manager.”

TBR View – Pepe one of many who need to lift themselves for Arsenal

Since checking in for a substantial sum of money during the summer of 2019, the 25-year-old has scored 13 goals and registered 13 assists for the Gunners during 60 outings.

Pepe has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and how Mikel Arteta could do with the likes of Pepe stepping up.

Arsenal are languishing in 15th place in the top-flight and that simply won’t do for a club of such size.

The £100,000-a-week winger wasn’t great on Saturday but he looks like one of many players who just aren’t fighting for their manager.

Arsenal’s current run of form is alarming and if it continues, Arteta could find himself out of a job.

As a result, the likes of Pepe really need to start stepping up in the coming weeks.