Arsenal latest: Mikel Arteta actions slammed as club chief fumes over Julian Alvarez claims

Mikel Arteta suffered a disappointing FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton at the weekend and the Arsenal boss has now been criticised

As Arsenal reflect on another disappointing result, Mikel Arteta has come under scrutiny.

The Gunners' shock 2-1 loss to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals marked their second cup elimination in as many games. There were worrying signs for the Gunners as unusually weak defending enabled the Saints to clinch a dramatic late victory at St Mary's.

Any expectations that Arteta's side would recover following their Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City prior to the international break appear to have been misplaced. The north London side cannot afford to linger on their latest setbacks, however, as they gear up for a crucial Champions League quarter-final clash against Sporting CP on Tuesday.

Perhaps even more critical is Saturday's home fixture against Bournemouth, as Arsenal look to navigate this difficult period and maintain their nine-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table. Now, football.london examines two of the latest developments concerning the Gunners.

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Arteta blamed for 'nervous energy'

Theo Walcott directed criticism towards Arteta after Saturday night's defeat by highlighting the manager's "nervous energy." Both the Gunners boss and his squad in recent seasons have faced accusations of failing to deliver when the season reaches its decisive stages.

The loss to Southampton heightened those concerns, with some suggesting their lacklustre performance could spill over and derail their Premier League title challenge. Arteta's former Arsenal team-mate Walcott, who also previously played for Southampton, believes the Spaniard's behaviour on the touchline is doing little to settle his squad.

He told the BBC: "They have to not let the season run away from them. Everything they have built this season, don't let it affect them. They have been in this situation before and they don't want to relive that.

"Visually watching Mikel on the sidelines, it was elements of previous years where that energy reflected into the team. It was a nervous energy, it was very tense.

"Not just Mikel but a lot of the staff were out there at times. It was like too many cooks in the kitchen, too many messages. Play your best team was the right thing to do tonight. It's easy if I say that now, but you want a reaction off the cup final and it wasn't that tonight, it was worse."

Alvarez transfer talk 'crossing the line'

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo hit out at the Spanish press on the weekend their constant speculation about Julian Alvarez’s summer transfer. Alvarez is reportedly being eyed as a key target by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.

However, speaking ahead of Atletico's La Liga defeat to Barcelona, Cerezo suggested that Alvarez could stay at the club beyond this season, while taking aim at the assembled media. He said: "You are crossing the line a little with [questions and reports about] Alvarez. He's an Atletico Madrid player and has a long contract with the club."

Barcelona went on to claim a victory, with Robert Lewandowski - the same player Alvarez would likely succeed should a transfer to Catalonia materialise - netting a late winner after coming off the bench.

Argentina international Alvarez has recorded 17 goals and nine assists across all competitions this season, catching the eye of several elite European clubs along the way. Atletico are believed to have placed a £129million valuation on the 26-year-old.