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7 months ago
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Piers Morgan has identified Cristiano Ronaldo as a player who would 'score 25+ goals' for Arsenal after their disappointing 2-0 loss to Aston Villa.
The Gunners have been one of the leading contenders to win their first Premier League title since 2003-04 after a strong campaign under boss Mikel Arteta, but their agonising home defeat to the Villans brought a reality check.
Arsenal were frustrated by Unai Emery's men, who shocked the home faithful with two late goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins to hand the initiative in the title race to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
Goalscoring has been no problem for Arsenal this season - netting 75 in total, only one less than rivals City, but after drawing a blank against Villa, notorious Arsenal fan Morgan outlined their attacking force as a weakness.
He said former Man United forward Ronaldo - who now plays for Saudi Arabia outfit Al-Nassr - would flourish under Arteta given the amount of chances they create, and outlined what the Spaniard 'one major blindspot' is.
Piers Morgan believes Cristiano Ronaldo 'would score 25+ goals' in this Arsenal team after their 2-0 loss to Aston Villa
Morgan often raves about Ronaldo and has outlined him as a player who could help Arsenal
The TV presenter also pointed out Mikel Arteta's 'one major blindspot' this season
After a fan joked he should 'ask Ronaldo to come help', he replied: 'I think @Cristiano would score 25+ goals a season in our team with the service he'd get.
'Arteta's refusal to prioritise a top striker is his one major blindspot.'
Saka has been Arsenal's top scorer in the league this season with 14 goals, despite playing on the wing, followed by left-winger Leandro Trossard on 13 and midfielders Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, who each have 10.
Arteta deployed Gabriel Jesus as his main centre forward against Villa, but the Brazilian has just eight goals this season, and has only netted 19 times since his £50m move from Man City in 2022.
Morgan, who accused his beloved Gunners of 'choking' against Villa, also claimed the team would have won 3-0 if they had Watkins in their side.
The Gunners were toothless against Villa as they fired a blank in an agonising afternoon
Arsenal’s lack of a proper striker has come back to haunt us. So many chances in first half, but none taken. If Watkins was playing for us, we’d have won this 3-0.'
Morgan's affinity for Ronaldo comes after the five-time Ballon d'Or winner gave a bombshell interview to the presenter in late 2022, accusing Man United of 'betraying' him and claiming he had no respect for old boss Erik ten Hag.
The interview would be crucial in sealing his exit from Old Trafford by mutual consent, paving the way for him to join Al-Nassr shortly after.
At the end of last season, Morgan claimed if the club signed Ronaldo after he left the Red Devils, they would have won the title instead of City.
He wrote: 'Mock all you like, but if we’d signed Ronaldo when he left Utd, until the end of the season - as he was keen to do btw - we would have won the League. He knows how to win major trophies, and how to score goals when it really matters.'
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