BBC pundit names what Arsenal’s players have done which makes him feel sorry for Mikel Arteta

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BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson says he feels sorry for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta due to some Gunners players’ inability to manage the situation when they’re on a booking.

Arsenal are in dire straits at present as far as the Premier League is concerned, the Emirates Stadium side sitting a lowly 15th in the table, five points above the relegation zone.

The Gunners haven’t won in the league since the start of November, when they ran out 1-0 winners at Manchester United.

In addition, Arsenal have finished three of their last five league games with ten men, including in both of their last two matches.

Against Burnley, Granit Xhaka was initially given booked for a trip on Dwight McNeil but lost his cool when approached by Westwood, resulting in a red card.

And in the draw with Southampton, Gabriel Magalhaes was sent off after accruing two yellows in the space of four minutes.

“Arsenal’s first aim has to be to end the game with 11 men,” Lawrenson wrote on BBC Sport as he previewed the upcoming meeting with Everton. “First it was Granit Xhaka who got himself sent off against Burnley, then Gabriel against Southampton.

“I feel sorry for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta because he can talk to his team all day about tactics and a gameplan, but if his players don’t know how to manage the situation when they are on a booking, like Gabriel was before his second yellow card on Wednesday, then he cannot help them much.

“Arteta is getting a bit of flak anyway but his own players have been making things more difficult for him. Funnily enough, I think that is one of reasons we will see a response from the Gunners here even if their confidence is going to be low.”

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What began as a season full of hope and optimism for Arsenal has spiralled into a potential relegation dogfight and, although you’d think the Gunners have too much quality to go down, their recent run and losing or drawing against the kind of teams any top side should be routinely beating is a major cause for concern.

Perhaps with the amount of pressure on the Gunners players’ shoulders, this increases the potential for one to lose his cool after a booking, so it’s important for Arteta to ensure his players go back to basics and remind them that they’re more than capable of beating any side, as they showed during their FA Cup winning run.