Arsenal fans expressed dismay at the absence of Matteo Guendouzi after their 1-0 loss to Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. The Frenchman is currently on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille.
Jan Bednarek’s 44th-minute strike was enough to sink the Gunners, who lost for the third game in a row. It was yet another setback in their Champions League push as Manchester United moved into fifth place following their own victory over Norwich City.
The Gunners held 75% of the ball, completed thrice as many passes and mustered twice as many shots as Southampton.
Arsenal fail to take advantage of Tottenham’s slip up after facing a 1-0 defeat to Southampton 😓Top 4 race is still wide open! https://t.co/KVs7XYVqNi
But their failure to find the net regardless was frustrating for Mikel Arteta, who’s falling short in his ambition of restoring the club back into the top four yet again.
Arsenal weren’t without their chances here, but Southampton ‘keeper Fraser Forster made a string of saves in the second half to protect his side’s lead. With derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur slipping up earlier in the day against Brighton, who also beat Arsenal last weekend, this was a chance for the latter to capitalize on it.
Arsenal fans yearn to have their midfielder back
After the loss, many Arsenal fans took to social media to express their longing for Matteo Guendouzi, who’s currently turning heads at Marseille on loan.
The Frenchman, who initially impressed with the Emirates outfit, became an estranged figure later on, witnessing a decline after Unai Emery’s departure. He failed to impress on loan at Hertha Berlin too last season but seems to have found his best form on his return to Ligue 1.
In 47 games for Marseille this season, the 23-year-old has scored four times and made 14 assists in all competitions, including three goals and eight assists in the league. It already had the fans in awe of him, and following Albert Lokonga’s poor display in the Southampton loss today, the Emirates faithful want Guendouzi back in the fold more than ever.
Lokonga, signed from Anderlecht last summer, made poor distributions and didn’t show the urgency to press the Saints off the ball either, chasing shadows for much of the game.
Fans certainly weren’t impressed and made their feelings known. Here are some of the best Twitter reactions: