“They’ve got to go out and buy immediately” – Paul Merson insists Arsenal need 2 signings in January after Newcastle draw

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson recently said that the Gunners need at least two new signings in January to keep their hopes of winning the Premier League title alive.

Mikel Arteta's team are currently at the top of the table with 44 points after 17 games and are leading second-placed Manchester City by five points.

They were, however, held to a goalless draw against Newcastle United at the Emirates in their latest game on January 4.

The result has prompted Merson to say that the club need attacking reinforcement as they looked out of ideas against the Magpies.

He told Daily Star:

“I think Arsenal need two signings this January, they’ve got to go out and buy immediately, I watched them against Newcastle and they ran out of ideas. Don’t get me wrong, Newcastle defended really well and it was hard to break down but you’ve got to be able to change it up."

Merson added that the team lacked quality substitutions against Eddie Howe's team. He said:

“There were no fresh legs. They paid £34million for Fabio Vieira but still didn’t put him on. For me, that was the worrying thing. I wouldn’t just say they needed fresh legs, I’d say fresh brains as well. There was no guile or differentiation."

He further spoke about reported Arsenal transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk and the lack of dynamism on the wings for the north London side. Paul Merson concluded:

“Even if they just swapped the wingers over for 10 minutes, Mikel Arteta seemed to be so engrossed in the game on the touchline that it quickly passed Arsenal by. Arsenal need to set Shakhtar Donetsk a deadline with Mykhaylo Mudryk. They’ve offered £62m and it should now be “take it or leave it” otherwise the January transfer window will soon be over.”

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hoping for Emile Smith Rowe's return

Emile smith Rowe

Emile Smith Rowe has been out of action since suffering an injury during the Gunners' Premier League defeat against Manchester United in September.

Mikel Arteta said he hoped to see the player return in the FA Cup clash against Oxford United on January 9.

The Spaniard said (via the club's official website);

“Tomorrow if he trains well, he will hopefully be available to give us something in the game. We need him fit and at his best, and when we have that, we have an incredible player that we have missed a lot in the last few months. He can play as an attacking midfielder, as a winger and even as a nine; I think he’s played there before.”