Tim Sherwood believes Arsenal could be ‘ruing’ their decision to sell Eddie Nketiah following their 2-1 win against Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta’s side are now four points behind leaders Liverpool in the Premier League title race following their victory in the north London derby on Wednesday night.
However, the Gunners once again failed to convert several chances and Arteta continues to face calls to sign a new striker before the end of the January transfer window.
Nketiah, meanwhile, was sold by Arsenal to Crystal Palace in a £30 million deal last summer but has scored just two in 18 appearances so far.
Sherwood believes Arsenal are only ‘one player away’ from overtaking Liverpool to win the Premier League title and feels the Gunners would now benefit from having Nketiah in their squad.
‘Their problems are in front of goal and they were still there today but they haven’t been punished from that because Tottenham haven’t threatened enough,’ Sherwood told Premier League Productions.
‘Gabriel was magnificent at the back, marshalled their defence, it’s really important if you’re not scoring the goals that you’re trying to keep it tight at the back and I think they did there tonight, they limited Tottenham to very few chances.
‘But the problem is still there, it’s a nice problem to have if you win the game because then you can address it.
‘How’s he going to address is with the personnel he has, it’s very difficult without Saka getting fit, he’s going to make a hell of a difference.
‘I’m not sure the player who they need in front of goal is going to be out there in the January market. I think they’ll be looking for it, perhaps on a loan to bring someone in.
‘They’re probably ruing the fact that Eddie Nketiah has left. I’m not saying he’s the answer but he would’ve been someone who would move in there now who’s a sniffer around the box, who can score goals, chances like that tonight you would’ve seen Eddie Nketiah taking them, even with a bit-part he played at Arsenal.
‘Now he’s gone, is there someone else out there who they could possibly bring up from the academy? They’re good at that, Nwaneri has come in and been outstanding, there’s probably not another kid, a No.9.
‘Everyone is looking for the same players around the league, especially at the top of the league, very difficult to improve on the players they already have, and that man to come in and score 10 goals between now and the end of the season… almost impossible to find.
‘I think from here on in they cannot lose more than two games between now and the end, which is very difficult. Man City have done it in the past, put a run together like that, I don’t see them being Man City… they haven’t got that goalscorer – they are one player away from winning this Premier League.
‘They’re trying to find that player, they’re all looking for him, yes, he’s out there, it’s Alexander Isak but you cannot get him now. Forget about it, what solutions are you going to find this season? Are they going to be solid enough at the back not to concede enough goals and just to score a few goals from set-pieces to win the league? I doubt that.’
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