Piers Morgan has urged Mikel Arteta to stop ‘tinkering’ with Arsenal’s team and tactics.

Despite an unbeaten start to the season in which the Gunners won the Community Shield and then picked up back-to-back wins in the Premier League, Arteta decided to change his tactical plan for the visit of Fulham.

It was a tough day at the office for Arsenal who weren’t at their bestGetty

Arteta got it all wrong against Fulham, believes AgbonlahorAFP

This included dropping Eddie Nketiah from the team and naming Leandro Trossard as a false nine, meaning that the Gunners has seven midfielders in their starting XI with no strikers, but two number nines on the bench in Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus.

While Arsenal had their moments, their lack of potency in front of goal proved costly as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Marco Silva’s side.

Clearly frustrated, Talk TV host Morgan took to X and wrote: “Bad result, poor performance, and it’s mainly Arteta’s fault.

“Tried to be too clever with his tinkering and we paid the price.”

He then added: “Stop tinkering and start with this XI against United: Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko, Rice, Odegaard, Partey, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.”

Morgan’s views were echoed by Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT’s GameDay Phone-In, saying: “Why is Arteta trying to do this experiment with Arsenal? Why are you playing with no striker? Why are you playing with a false nine and why have you not started Nketiah?

“Why are you playing Havertz? Why is Thomas Partey playing right back?

“Why aren’t you playing White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko in a back four, a midfield of Partey, Rice and Odegaard and then Saka, Nketiah and Martinelli? That’s the team that Arsenal should be playing.

Trossard has been a real disappointment for the Gunners, says AgbonlahorGetty

“I just don’t understand the team that he played today. Arsenal fans will agree that Havertz isn’t working.

“You’re playing Thomas Partey at right-back to fit in certain players – stop playing him at right-back and play him in centre-mid. Give Declan Rice the authority to make forward runs with Odegaard.

“Play Nketiah. You had two strikers on the bench today.

“It’s disrespecting Fulham, they maybe thought it was an easy game. I just don’t understand it.”