Former Arsenal star Alex Iwobi has admitted it feels there is an intense spotlight on players at the club, as he revealed he was once warned by Arsene Wenger for attending a house party three days before a match.
Iwobi played 149 times for Arsenal after coming through the club’s academy, with the midfielder part of their FA Cup winning side in 2017.
He ultimately left the club for Everton in the summer of 2019, just months after the Gunners had suffered defeat in the Europa League final.
His former side are currently bidding to secure the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years, with the club six points clear of Man City heading into a crunch clash on Sunday.
Iwobi was asked on Adebayo Akinfenwa’s Beast Mode On podcast about whether players feel like there is always a spotlight on Arsenal.
The 29-year-old replied ‘Of course’, before citing the example of being warned by Arsene Wenger over attending a house party back in 2018 to highlight how Arsenal players are always under the microscope.
‘I am at Fulham now and I can see the difference – don’t get me wrong Fulham are a big club – but at Arsenal you get noticed for anything. They will use you as a scapegoat,’ Iwobi said.
‘I never go out two days before a game, this was like three days before a game and I’ve gone to my boy’s birthday. He was turning like 19 at the time.
‘He’s had a controlled house party, some people snapped it. I played my best, I think I even got an assist against Nottingham Forest in the cup but we lost.
‘It has now gone to the papers and it was made out Alex Iwobi has gone to a drug fuelled balloon thing. I was like “wait what?”.
‘I obviously didn’t know there was this rule. So Wenger spoke to me and was like “be careful, you are an Arsenal player, the spotlight is going to be on you, even if you don’t think so”.
‘It was a learning curve, that made me realise with Arsenal. Even to this day I go to Tesco and because I played for Arsenal, people are asking if Arsenal are going to win the league. I don’t even play for Arsenal anymore.’
The story had emerged in 2018, with Arsenal fans having reacted furiously after images of Iwobi at a house party had emerged, which had been posted on Snapchat at 2.37am.
It came days before Arsenal were beaten 4-2 in the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest, who were then in the Championship.
Wenger had publicly criticised Iwobi after the match.
‘If that is true he will be fined. It’s unacceptable, it’s impossible to go out 48 hours before a game,’ Wenger said at the time.
‘It was 48 hours before the game, the night before the game we were in a hotel.
‘You have to be cautious with the news coming out – when you read what has been reported it is like he has taken drugs but he’s not involved in that.
‘If he was at a birthday party, how long has he stayed? That is very important. After that I will decide what happens.
‘If your neighbour takes drugs, what can you do about it? You are responsible for your behaviour.’
The current Arsenal side have been scrutinised in recent weeks as they bid to seal the Premier League title, with pressure ramping up after last weekend’s home defeat by Bournemouth.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has raised eyebrows amid reports he lit a fire at the training ground in a team meeting to inspire his players.
