Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to the awful performance of David Luiz as his side were beaten 3-0 by Manchester City on their return to Premier League action last night.
The English top flight got back underway after a three-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it was not a happy return for the Gunners as they suffered a heavy defeat.
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Luiz was notable for his errors that contributed to Arsenal’s collapse, with the Brazilian allowing Raheem Sterling in for the opening goal at the Etihad Stadium, and later conceding a penalty and getting himself sent off.
It was not a game to remember for the former Chelsea man, and loads of Arsenal fans were fuming with him after the game as they hit out at his display on Twitter.
Still, Arteta has defended Luiz, saying he still values him as a player he wants to keep in his squad at the Emirates Stadium.
“I know him well, as a player and a person. He can handle this situation,” Arteta said after the game, as quoted by the Daily Star.
“He will always try to give his best. It didn’t work out for him or the team. That is it.”
While it’s hardly a surprise to see a manager sticking up for a struggling player in public, Gooners will surely also have hoped for a stronger response from their manager, who will not do well to accept the kind of mediocrity that has dragged the club down over the last decade.