Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has told the Arsenal fans criticising the signing of Noni Madueke to “say sorry” to their new “saviour”.
Some Gunners fans put a petition together to call on the club to stop the signing of Madueke from Chelsea but the Arsenal board pushed ahead with the £52m signing.
Madueke faced a backlash on social media with many feeling he wasn’t good enough, especially at the price, to challenge for a starting spot at the Emirates Stadium.
The England international started 27 Premier League matches last season, contributing seven goals and three assists, as Chelsea finished behind Arsenal in the table.
But Madueke has been playing well for club and country this season, with the Arsenal winger following up his first England goal in midweek by putting in a man of the match performance against Nottingham Forest over the weekend.
And Ferdinand thinks “the haters” in the Arsenal fanbase need to apologise to Madueke as they are now probably “salivating” over the England star.
Man Utd legend Ferdinand told his YouTube channel: “I just want to give the haters, the naysayers who were hammering Madueke (a message).
“The starboy Saka is out and Madueke has gone over to that right-hand side and said ‘guys I’m going to give you something a bit different, there’s a different sauce coming, but I’m going to show you something’.
“He’s delivered in a game and Arsenal fans are now salivating over him and saying they love him, he’s our saviour. Those fans need to come out now, those naysayers and negative guys need to come out now and say sorry.”
Paul Merson reckons Arsenal now have “got ample quality to win the league” and admits that Madueke has “done outstanding so far” after being one of his doubters.
Merson told Sky Sports: “It’s a hard week for Arsenal.
“I thought they played really well against Nottingham Forest, a solid result. The performance showed their depth. No Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice was a sub, Martin Odegaard had to go off – it just showed their quality.
“If they get through these next couple of weeks, I see them as the team. They are the ones. If they get through these next couple of games, you go advantage Arsenal. They have got ample quality to win the league.
“They were very good against Liverpool. That’s the most comfortable I’ve seen an Arsenal team at Anfield in 20 years. If it had ended 0-0 we would be saying ‘who is going to touch Arsenal this season?’. Liverpool didn’t look like scoring for toffee and then Dominik Szoboszlai scores a worldie from nothing.”
On Madueke, Merson added: “Noni Madueke needs to keep on performing, it’s only just started.
“Arsenal play a certain way, he’s been positive, but the way Arsenal play compared to Chelsea will suit him.
“Arsenal move the ball quicker, it goes into his feet quicker and then he’s one-vs-one in a flash. Chelsea are slower, by the time the ball is moved out to the winger the other side have doubled up. Arsenal don’t do that.
“He’s done outstanding so far – his goal for England against Serbia was really good – better than what I thought. But this has got to go on for the rest of the season. So far, so good.”