Rooney Defends Arsenal's "Brilliant" Title Push, Compares Gunners to His Treble-Winning United Side

Wayne Rooney has waded into the Arsenal debate with a spirited defence of Mikel Arteta's side, dismissing what he sees as unfair attacks on their style of play as they chase their first Premier League title in 22 years.

The Gunners currently lead the table by seven points but have come under fire from pundits and supporters alike, with critics labelling their approach as functional and aesthetically uninspiring. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler stoked the flames by suggesting Arsenal "make their own rules" and aren't even "trying to play football," while former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew went further, arguing that any title triumph should "come with an asterisk" given their methods.

Rooney, speaking on his BBC podcast, will have none of it. The former England captain insists he "actually enjoys watching them play" and reckons Arsenal boast a "good mix" of tactical approaches.

"I've heard a lot of people talking about Arsenal and the way they're playing but I think they've been brilliant," Rooney declared. "Football is played in different ways. Man City have had spells when they were absolutely incredible, the same for my Man United team."

The 38-year-old highlighted Arsenal's well-rounded game: a blend of goalscorers, defensive solidity, and clean sheets that makes them a difficult proposition. He also defended their reliance on set-pieces—a tactic that has drawn particular scrutiny.

"The set-pieces are part of football – why would you not use it? They put bodies in the box, if teams aren't clever enough or haven't got the players to deal with it, why wouldn't Arsenal continue to do that?" Rooney said. "I would be doing it even more if I was Mikel Arteta. It's part of the game and I love it – they don't have to change anything."

Rooney acknowledged that Arsenal's open-play goal tally hasn't matched their ambitions, but argued they've compensated elsewhere. He then drew a pointed parallel to his own playing days, noting that Manchester United's final Premier League title was hardly a masterclass in attacking flair.

"The last league title we won, we wasn't great as a team, but nobody is talking about that now," he reflected. "I don't think Arsenal have been as bad as people are saying, I really don't. I'm not saying this because I like Arsenal, I'm saying this because I think the criticism they've received is very unfair."

Yet Rooney sounded a note of caution regarding the title race. Despite Arsenal's seven-point cushion, he believes Manchester City remain genuine contenders and far from out of the picture.

"I don't think the Premier League is out of reach for Man City yet," he cautioned. "They're well within the title race."