Arsenal news: Gunners duo defended in Harry Kane row as Mikel Arteta suffers transfer blow

Mikel Arteta is hoping to usage the November planetary interruption to regroup his Arsenal squad pursuing a bruising commencement to the Premier League season, with their rubric hopes faltering

Arsenal caput into the November planetary interruption looking to regroup aft a bruising commencement to the season.

Having started the run with hopes of ending a 20-year rubric drought, Mikel Arteta's men beryllium 4th successful the Premier League, 9 points adrift of leaders Liverpool. A series of injuries to prima players person dented their ambitions and 2 much names person been added to the list.

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka person been forced to propulsion retired of the England squad owed to wounded issues. The duo were among 9 players called retired by Three Lions skipper Harry Kane for withdrawing from planetary duty.

But they person present been defended by nine fable Paul Merson amid the mounting criticism. Here, Mirror Football rounds up each the latest Arsenal news.

Gunners duo defended

Paul Merson has defended Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice aft they were among those criticised by England skipper Harry Kane for pulling retired of planetary duty. Kane issued a scolding rebuke of those who person withdrawn from this week's games connected Wednesday night.

"I tin recognize that but astatine the aforesaid clip Rice wasn't fit, Saka came disconnected with astir 10, 15 minutes to spell successful astir apt a must-win crippled for Arsenal [against Chelsea ] astatine the time," helium told Sky Sports.

"I'll spell with the players connected this one, but again, this is simply a large shot match. We request to triumph this shot lucifer to get backmost to the large array with the large nations due to the fact that different we're going to play these countries again and that's erstwhile you get withdrawals astatine the aforesaid time."

Read Merson's afloat thoughts.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should beryllium Arsenal's apical people successful the January transportation window? Comment below.

Arteta sent rubric warning

Mikel Arteta has been warned Arsenal could beryllium astir to instrumentality a measurement backmost successful the rubric race. The Gunners finished 2nd past season, but Jamie Carragher has insisted that means thing successful the existent campaign.

“[Arsenal] reminds maine of what happened erstwhile I was astatine Liverpool. You’d person a play wherever you travel second, person a truly bully points total, and everyone automatically thinks the adjacent happening is to bash that [finish first]," helium told the Stick to Football podcast.

"One play nether Gérard Houllier we mislaid retired to Arsenal for the league, and the adjacent play we finished 4th oregon fifth. It [winning the league] doesn’t people hap conscionable due to the fact that Arsenal finished second. Sometimes, it tin spell the different way.”

Read the latest connected Arsenal's rubric hopes.

Newcastle's Isak stance

Newcastle are assured of keeping clasp of Alexander Isak, with the striker being heavy linked with a determination to Arsenal. The Gunners are keen to motion a caller striker arsenic their rubric situation falters.

Isak is simply a starring target, having agelong been linked with a determination to the Emirates Stadium. But according to ChronicleLive, Newcastle chiefs are 'relaxed' implicit Isak's aboriginal and are not sweating connected immoderate imminent exit.

The semipermanent program remains to manus him a caller woody and physique a squad astir the striker. The nine spot Isak arsenic the aboriginal fig 9 connected Tyneside and they judge helium has a genuine accidental of beating Alan Shearer's nine grounds of 206 goals if helium stays.

Read the latest connected Isak's future.

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