Former midfielder Nigel de Jong hit back at Richard Keys after he doubled down on his criticism of Arsenal’s players and Mikel Arteta for their celebrations after beating Fulham on Saturday.
Arsenal came from behind to secure a late 2-1 victory over Fulham, which extended their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season.
Arteta’s side have won their opening four fixtures, representing their best start to a Premier League campaign since 2004, but Keys was unhappy with the jubilant scenes at the Emirates Stadium following the narrow victory over Fulham.
But De Jong, who won the Premier League title with Manchester City in 2012, believes Keys is overlooking the context of Arsenal’s latest win and the resilience the team showed after going a goal down.
‘To put into context, I understand ’s fans celebrating in the matter that they did,’ Keys said on beIN Sports.
‘I felt that the coach and his players over-celebrated a 2-1 win against Fulham.
‘I think this sort of reaction to what happened yesterday from Arteta & Co. tells me how far they’ve fallen.
‘ would have been howled out of the arena if his team scraped a 2-1 win, with, in effect, an own goal that was way off target until it took a deflection and a present from Jay [sic] Leno.’
Andy Gray then interjected: ‘Yeah, I know what you’re saying, yes, perhaps they did overdo it, the players and the staff a little bit. And I agree with you in that respect.
‘But they’ve had so little to cheer and look forward to, remember 12 months ago they’d just lost three games in a row.’
Keys then replied: ‘Yeah, but whose fault is that, Andy?
‘They hounded Wenger out, they didn’t give Unai Emery enough time to complete the job he’d started. This is a 2-1 win against Fulham.’
Gray then replied: ‘I get what you’re saying. Let me tell you, I think if Nigel [De Jong] had been in his Man City side, or I’d have been in my own side, we both won the title, and that would’ve happened, we would’ve been relieved to have got back in it, fortuitously won the game, shook hands and got off the pitch.
‘We wouldn’t have been celebrating like we’ve won the FA Cup or something like that. But I think that’s a measure of where Arsenal are at the moment, as much as anything else.’
Keys then said: ‘Yeah, I think it underlines how far they’ve fallen.
‘But a 2-1 win against newly promoted Fulham is being received in the manner that it was by the coach and the players.
‘Fine, supporters enjoy your afternoon out, great, celebrate all you like.
‘But come on… Fulham. They haven’t played anybody yet, Arsenal.’
But De Jong, who was working as a pundit for beIN Sports, then told Keys: ‘I think you put too much weight on the celebrations, to be honest.
‘You’re only four games in, four games they have 12 points, when was the last time that they started the season like that?
‘What you [Andy Gray] said clear is also somehing really important – Arsenal haven’t been successful over the last couple of years and they had no reason to celebrate.
‘It’s not about that [beating Fulham], you have to see it as the bigger picture. The fact they came from behind as well at the stadium, showed resilience, says something about that squad.
‘Of course it is early days, but I think you put too much weight on celebrations. You’re not talking about the game of how they’ve been playing technical-wise.
‘Let them celebrate, what’s the problem with them celebrating?’
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