Souness rules insipid Arsenal out of title race

Arsenal's inability to beat an injury-ravaged Manchester United side in the Premier League on Sunday shows they are not title contenders, according to Graeme Souness.

During his career Souness won five league titles with Liverpool, but he sees nothing in the current Gunners side that shows they are up for the battle with Leicester City, Tottenham and Manchester City.

Arsenal were beaten 3-2 at Old Trafford as youngster Marcus Rashford continued his sensational start in the first team with a double before Ander Herrera sealed the points.

United's side was missing the likes of Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling, Marouane Fellaini and Matteo Darmian, but Louis van Gaal's patched-up charges excelled as Arsenal were kept five points off the pace.

"Arsenal bordered on being a joke," said Souness. "Arsene Wenger must be tearing his hair out. 

"There's a word I want to use, but I can't use it, which describes a lack of something that real players have and this Arsenal team lack it in abundance, just don't have it, none.

"And I'll stand on my head if they prove me wrong and go and win this league, because that was totally unacceptable."

Speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, Souness added: "I thought they would come here with an opportunity to put a marker on the wall and say, 'we're back in this race.' And they've come back here and been so insipid, so weak and pussyfooted. 

"All they've done is said to the opposition this team can be rolled over. If I was an Arsenal supporter I would be so angry right now. 

"There is so much about Arsenal to like and in equal measures there is so much to dislike."