Laura Woods Calls Out Pardew's "Asterisk" Jab at Arsenal's Pragmatic Title Push

Laura Woods didn't hold back when she got wind of Alan Pardew's latest hot take on Arsenal's title credentials. The former Newcastle manager had been waxing lyrical on talkSPORT about how the Gunners' potential championship win would come with an asterisk due to their apparent lack of aesthetic appeal and their willingness to employ every trick in the book.

"When I'm looking at them with my football manager's head on, they're so professional. They do every bit of gamesmanship to get it over the line," Pardew had declared. "There'll be an asterisk next to their name because you've only got to look at them… and say, it's just a functional display. They're good, they're strong, they're powerful. But there is nothing beautiful about them. That's the truth."

Woods, fresh from her duties with TNT Sports, couldn't resist ringing the Jamie O'Hara and Jason Cundy show to set the record straight. Her response was characteristically forthright: "Honestly – Alan, I love you, but that is the most disrespectful thing I've ever heard. How can you say that? What, because we like to take free-kicks, set pieces and corners? I don't understand the thought process."

She wasn't finished. "That is mental," Woods continued. "If Arsenal win the league, none of us fans – I don't care if it's boring, I don't care if you lot don't enjoy watching us – why would we care if we're entertaining or not? When we were playing entertaining football, everyone was saying: 'They're playing lovely football but can't win a game'. And now we're winning games in different fashions, different ways, the games evolving and you lot are bored."

The debate was sparked by Arsenal's 1-0 victory at the Amex, where Bukayo Saka's deflected effort secured all three points. The win stretched the Gunners' lead at the summit to seven points following Manchester City's draw with Nottingham Forest at the Etihad.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler had already taken issue with Arsenal's approach after the match, labelling it "tortuous" and vowing that he would never manage in such a manner. His complaints about time-wasting appeared to have provided ammunition for Pardew's critique about Arsenal's style of play and winning mentality.