Support is there for Arsenal but we have ‘limitations’, says boss Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta dismissed Ian Wright’s claim that he needs “help” from the Arsenal board to bankroll a new striker – but admitted there are “certain limitations” within his own squad.

Wright, who scored 185 goals for the Gunners, called for Arteta to be backed this month in pursuit of fresh faces after Arsenal drew a blank in a 2-0 defeat against Newcastle in the opening leg of their semi-final Carabao Cup tie.

Arsenal fired 23 shots on goal but landed only three on target, with Kai Havertz guilty of missing a golden chance to haul his side back into the tie when Leandro Trossard’s cross hit his shoulder. Gabriel Martinelli also struck the post when clear through on goal.

Speaking after the match as a pundit for ITV, Wright, 61, said: “You’ve got to look at the board now.

“He (Arteta) needs help. I know it’s very difficult in this January window, but he needs something else because if it’s going to carry on like this, it’s going to be very difficult to score.”

However, responding to Wright’s comments, 48 hours out from his side’s crucial third-round FA Cup clash against Manchester United at the Emirates, Arteta said: “I have so much support from the board.

“I continue to have it, and we are all seeking and willing to do the same thing, which is to win the maximum amount of football matches in the way that we want to play, to achieve the goals we want, which is to win trophies.

“That support continues to be there, but we have certain limitations. We have a lot of gaps and a lot of things to cover to become the team that we want, and then the availability of those players, even if you want them, sometimes it is not possible.

“But we always have discussions with the ones above, discussing how we can improve the team, whether