"They hold back" - Gary Neville feels 'erratic' Arsenal duo could cost Gunners Premier League title

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes Arsenal's attacking pair of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah aren't clinical enough and could cost the Gunners the 2023-24 Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta and company have made a strong start to their title challenge. They are currently second in the league table with 20 points after eight games, behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference.

Moreover, Arsenal were able to secure a crucial 1-0 win against defending champions, Manchester City, on Sunday, October 8. However, one notable area of concern was both Jesus and Nketiah struggling to have any sort of impact in attack.

While crediting their work rate, Neville believes their lack of cutting-edge could have a negative impact on Arsenal down the line. He made an appearance on The Overlap's Stick to Football podcast on YouTube, where he said (via METRO):

"There’s no doubt Nketiah and Jesus they work their absolute socks off, but in quality terms I just found in those two matches, is that going to be enough to win Arsenal the league?"

"That’s my only doubt is actually a centre-forward, because if they’d had a centre-forward – like if they had a Haaland, if they had a Kane – I’d be saying, 'It’s Arsenal I think if they can keep Saliba and Gabriel and Rice fit,'" he continued.

"But, honestly, I worry about Nketiah and Jesus," Gary Neville continued. "They’re erratic. They’re not wired, are they, to score goals naturally. Instinctively they don’t make the runs that you see goalscorers make. They hold back, they’re always looking for the pull-back, they’re never getting across players.

"I just look at Jesus, he is quite erratic in front of goal. The work ethic of both of them is brilliant, I just question, at that level, can they win the league without another striker?"

Both players have struggled to make goal contributions so far this season. Jesus has scored three goals in nine appearances across all competitions, while Nketiah has scored two goals and provided one assist in 11 appearances in total.

While it's too early to write both Jesus and Nketiah off just yet, both forwards will be aiming to up their game in the coming weeks.

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Brentford forward Ivan Toney 'interested' in Arsenal move: Reports

According to The Mirror (via Eurosport), Brentford forward Ivan Toney is reportedly keen on a move to the Emirates in the upcoming transfer window for a fee of £60 million.

Toney is currently in the middle of an eight-month suspension from all footballing activities after being found guilty of gambling offenses. He will be able to step back onto the pitch on January 17, 2024.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is allegedly keen on bolstering his options in attack and Ivan Toney would be a stellar candidate. The Brentford star has scored 32 goals and provided nine assists in 66 Premier League appearances over the past two seasons.