Bacary Sagna, the former Arsenal defender, has come to the defense of Oleksandr Zinchenko amid criticism following Arsenal’s recent string of less-than-ideal results.
The Ukrainian captain faced scrutiny, particularly for his performance against Mohamed Salah in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
Zinchenko, who struggled to contain Salah’s pace and skill, found himself in the spotlight after the Liverpool forward scored the equalizer just before halftime.
Despite the criticism, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta initially maintained faith in Zinchenko for the subsequent match against West Ham.
However, the 27-year-old was substituted in the 64th minute, and subsequently, he has been sidelined due to a calf issue, missing key fixtures against Fulham and in the FA Cup clash against Liverpool.
Sagna, expressing his support for Zinchenko, emphasized the player’s technical prowess, particularly in contributing to Arsenal’s possession-based style of play.
Sagna pointed out that Zinchenko faced more scrutiny this season, possibly attributed to the team’s less favorable results.
He highlighted the influence of team dynamics on individual perceptions, noting that when Arsenal was winning consistently last season, there was less questioning of Zinchenko’s abilities and performances.