Wayne Rooney believes criticism directed at Arsenal's playing style is unfair. Speaking on the BBC's "Wayne Rooney Show", the former England captain highlighted that success often overrides stylistic debates. He stated, "Manchester United was not an excellent team the last time they won the Premier League. But now, no one looks back and says that Manchester United team was undeserving. I do not think Arsenal is playing as badly as people are saying. It is truly not the case."

Arsenal is currently competing across four fronts: leading the Premier League, facing Leverkusen in the Champions League round of 16, preparing for an FA Cup final against Manchester City on 22/3, and having recently secured a 2-1 victory over Mansfield in the FA Cup fifth round. Despite their strong performance, the London club's tactics have drawn mixed reactions. Former West Ham and Newcastle manager Alan Pardew described Arsenal's play as overly mechanical, implying that their time-wasting tactics could tarnish a potential title win. Similarly, former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes suggested that Arsenal would be the "worst champions" if they claim the Premier League title this season.

Jurrien Timber headed the winning goal in Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Premier League matchday 28 at Emirates Stadium, London on 1/3. *Reuters*.

Rooney emphasized that his defense of Arsenal stems not from personal preference, but from the illogical nature of the criticism. "I am not saying this because I like Arsenal," Rooney clarified. "But it is unfair for them to be criticized while leading the league by 7 points. If opponents cannot cope, do it more. If I were Mikel Arteta, I would do the same." He stressed that for a title contender, winning is paramount, regardless of external opinions on their playing method. "When you are in a title race, it is important to find every way to win. You do not need to care what others think about how you play, as long as you win," the former England striker asserted.

Following Arsenal's 0-1 defeat to Brighton in the Premier League matchday 29, Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler accused the "Gunners" of creating their own rules and consistently engaging in time-wasting. The German coach called for stricter regulations from the league organizers regarding such tactics. However, Rooney defended Arsenal's approach to set-pieces and physical play, deeming it entirely legitimate. He questioned, "If the referee does not do anything to stop it, and I do not think it is a brawl either, if opponents are not smart enough or do not have the right players to cope, why should Arsenal stop?"

The 40-year-old former forward concluded that the criticism is unjust and encouraged Arsenal to maintain their pragmatic style. "Teams are struggling to stop it. It is a part of football and I really like it," he stated. "In my opinion, Arteta does not need to change anything just because someone complains."