"Friend, let him work" - Former Arsenal star hits back at Piers Morgan's "season-wrecking mistake" claim about Mikel Arteta

Former Arsenal midfielder Dani Ceballos has asked Piers Morgan to remain patient after the famous English broadcaster accused Mikel Arteta of making a damning season-defining mistake.

The Gunners succumbed to a crushing 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in their last Premier League outing on Monday night. The north London outfit lacked creativity in the final third and failed to apply the finishing touches when rare opportunities presented themselves.

Following the defeat, Morgan, an Arsenal fan himself, took to Twitter to claim that Arteta made a blunder by letting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave in January:

He wrote:

“This is actually a moment when Arsenal fans need to accept Arteta made a massive season-wrecking mistake in giving away Aubameyang & relying on Lacazette to lead the line. I said it would come back to haunt us - and it is.”

Real Madrid midfielder Ceballos, who played under Arteta between 2019 and 2021 during his loan spell at the Emirate's, has jumped to his former manager's defense. The Spanish international has hit back at Morgan, saying Arteta would take the Gunners to “where they deserve.” The 25-year-old wrote on social media (via Mirror):

“Friend, let him work, he is very good. He will also take Arsenal to where they deserve. Patience.”

Ceballos featured in 60 games across competitions under his compatriot in north London, scoring one and providing three assists.

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Arsenal could have a hard time securing Champions League football

At the beginning of March, the Gunners were in pole position to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League. Losses to Liverpool and Crystal Palace have taken a toll on their aspirations, landing them in a messy situation on the final lap.

Currently fifth in the standings, Arteta’s side have 54 points on the board, the same as fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. But they have a game in hand over Spurs, meaning a win or draw would propel them back into fourth position. However, given the fixtures they have lined up next, it is unlikely to be straightforward.

The north London side will face Chelsea (A), Tottenham (A), Manchester United (H), and Everton (H) before the end of the season. Each of these teams have something or the other to play for, meaning none of these matches will be a cakewalk for the Gunners.

Given their lackluster showing against Palace, the signs do not look encouraging. Arteta is likely to need all his managerial wits to guide Arsenal out of the troubled waters, unscathed and victorious.