“I heard that on other shows, too, I fell out of bed” - Emmanuel Petit responds to concerns about Ousmane Dembele ahead of Arsenal vs PSG
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has defended Ousmane Dembele amid concerns about his poor form. The French forward has been outstanding for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this season, registering 32 goals and 11 assists from 43 games.
However, Dembele has failed to register a goal contribution in the last four games. Against Nantes on Tuesday, the 27-year-old managed just one shot on target and two touches in the opposition box.
The Parisians have already wrapped up the Ligue 1 title this season, and their focus is now on winning the Champions League for the first time. With the semifinal against the Gunners just around the corner, Dembele's struggles in the final third have fans worried.
However, speaking on the Rothen s'enflamme podcast as cited by The Mirror, Petit insisted that the player's goalscoring drought is nothing to be concerned about.
"There's no let-up! In the Champions League quarter-finals, he was decisive, providing the assist in both matches. I don't know what you're expecting," said Petit.
He continued:
"What are you waiting for? For him to score, make assists, and win every match single-handedly? Not even two weeks ago, he was decisive against Aston Villa. Now, we're only talking about the match against Nantes... I heard that on other shows, too, I fell out of bed."
Arsenal, interestingly, have lost just one game in the Champions League this season.
Are Arsenal eyeing a Bournemouth defender?
Arsenal have a strong interest in Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, according to acclaimed journalist David Ornstein. The 20-year-old has caught the eye with the Cherries this season and is wanted at multiple clubs across the continent.
Speaking recently, as cited by Football 365, Ornstein added that Chelsea, Liverpool, and Real Madrid are among the parties interested in Huijsen.
“Arsenal’s interest… it is strong and they remain in contention. They are among the clubs (with Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham) who have met his representatives, with Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta keen to sign the Spain international," said Ornstein.
He continued:
"Whether or not Arsenal win the race is unclear because it’s still open and I’m not aware of a front runner between them, Chelsea and Liverpool to date. Real Madrid has always carried huge appeal to Huijsen, we hear, but so far they haven’t moved on this situation and I’m sure he is philosophical about that."
Huijsen apparently has a £50m release clause in his deal, which makes him an attainable target for the Gunners.
