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Paul Merson reveals one mistake Arteta made against Aston Villa

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | By Admin Martin | Last updated Dec 12, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Paul Merson believes Mikel Arteta made a costly mistake in Arsenal’s recent Premier League defeat to Aston Villa. The Gunners faced a challenging fixture at Villa Park, with Villa in excellent form in the weeks leading up to the match.

Arteta’s Tactical Decisions

Arsenal is well aware of how difficult it is to face Unai Emery’s team, and Arteta appeared to adjust his formation for the encounter. The manager made some questionable decisions regarding his line-up, selecting Mikel Merino as a false nine rather than starting Viktor Gyokeres. Additionally, Eberechi Eze was positioned on the left of a front-three, despite having struggled in that role previously.

These choices contributed to Arsenal’s defeat, and although Arteta attempted to rectify his errors in the second half, Villa ultimately secured victory with a late goal. The loss highlighted some tactical misjudgements that Merson believes had a significant impact on the outcome.

Merson’s Analysis

Arsenal will be looking to return to winning ways when they face Wolves this weekend, and Merson remains confident in their prospects. Reflecting on the defeat at Villa Park, he commented via Metro Sport:

‘I thought Mikel Arteta got it wrong when he used Mikel Merino as the centre-forward in the game against Villa. I know Merino scores a lot of important goals but Villa were bang in form and they needed someone like Viktor Gyokeres in that line-up to unsettle the opponents.’

Merson’s assessment underlines the importance of selecting the right personnel against in-form opposition. While Merino is capable of scoring crucial goals, the former Arsenal midfielder argues that Gyokeres would have posed a greater threat to Villa’s defensive structure.

Arteta’s willingness to experiment tactically is often praised, but in this instance, it appears to have backfired. As the Gunners prepare for their next Premier League challenge, they will be keen to ensure that their attacking options are deployed in a way that maximises their effectiveness and reduces the risk of further setbacks.

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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