sportbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Michael Owen Claims Arsenal Are Now An 'Average Premier League Team' After Liverpool Defeat

Michael Owen Claims Arsenal Are Now An 'Average Premier League Team' After Liverpool Defeat

Michael Owen has claimed it will be "hard for Arsenal fans to stomach" that they are no longer one of the elite Premier League clubs.

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz

Michael Owen has insisted that Arsenal are only 'carried' by their club crest and legends as they are now an "average Premier League team."

Mikel Arteta's men suffered a 3-0 defeat to defending Premier League champions Liverpool on Saturday at the Emirates.

Arsenal currently languish in 10th place and are nine points adrift from a top-four place.

Owen, 41, has suggested that it might be "hard for Arsenal fans to stomach" that they are no longer a top-tier Premier League team.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker added that rival Premier League teams will no longer look at the Gunners as a 'hard match anymore.'

Owen told Premier League Productions: "I think Arsenal are probably 10 or 20 per cent worse than what we collectively think.

"Their badge carries them. Their stadium and their support and the legends that have played for them carry them.

PA

PA

PA

"So we all think -- when I think of Arsenal, I think title challengers. It's just what I've been brought up with, it's what I naturally think.

"Arsenal are a huge club, so I've naturally got an opinion and our generation has an opinion way above what they actually are.

"They're average. They're ninth in the league, aren't they? So an average Premier League team.

"We haven't played five games this season... 15 years they've been an okay team but okay is just not enough, certainly not enough from the teams I grew up watching.

"They've had gluts of years where they were unbelievable title-winning teams. Every year they would be up there and you'd think, 'Wow, we've got to beat Arsenal.'

"Now you look at fixtures and look at the last 10 fixtures of someone, if you see Arsenal, secretly you just think that's not that hard a game anymore.

"They're just an average Premier League team at the moment. That's what the league says, hard for Arsenal fans to stomach that, but that's what they are and Arteta has got a huge job."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football, Premier League, England, Arsenal, Michael Owen