Wayne Rooney Defends ‘Brilliant’ Arsenal Against Functional Style Criticism with Comparison to 2013 Manchester United Title Winners

Wayne Rooney slams "unfair" criticism of Arsenal's playing style, comparing their pragmatism to the Manchester United team that won the title in 2013.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 7:12 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Football365

A Legendary Endorsement Amidst Tactical Scrutiny

Despite holding a commanding seven-point lead at the summit of the Premier League, Arsenal has faced a wave of criticism regarding the supposedly functional and "unattractive" nature of their football. Detractors, including rival managers and pundits, have suggested that the Gunners have sacrificed flair for a "risk-averse" approach in their pursuit of a first league title in over two decades. However, Wayne Rooney has emerged as a high-profile defender of Mikel Arteta’s methods. Speaking on his BBC podcast, the former England captain dismissed the negative narrative, describing the current Arsenal side as "brilliant" and noting that he genuinely enjoys watching their tactical evolution.

The Strategic Logic of Set Piece Dominance

A significant portion of the backlash against Arsenal has centered on their heavy reliance on set-pieces and physical presence in the box. Critics, including former Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, have gone so far as to suggest a title win under these conditions should "come with an asterisk." Rooney countered this sentiment by questioning why any manager would ignore such an effective weapon. He argued that if opposing teams lack the intelligence or personnel to defend these situations, Arsenal has every right to exploit that weakness. Rooney even suggested that if he were in Arteta's position, he would lean into these set-piece strategies even more aggressively to secure points.

Parallels to the 2013 Manchester United Vintage

In a compelling comparison, Rooney drew a parallel between the current Arsenal squad and the Manchester United team that won the Premier League title in 2013. He noted that while that final championship-winning side under Sir Alex Ferguson "wasn’t great as a team" in terms of aesthetic dominance, they were effective enough to cross the finish line. Rooney pointed out that a decade later, fans and historians only remember the trophy, not the lack of open-play flair. By comparing the Gunners to a title-winning United vintage, he suggested that efficiency is the only metric that truly matters in the final stretch of a season.