Martin Keown was delighted to watch Arsenal beat Napoli in the Champions League last night, and most of the Gunners’ players performed very well during the match.Arsenal have worked hard to remain one of the teams to fear in Europe and were favourites heading into the match at the Maradona Stadium.However, it was their first European game of the season, and Mikel Arteta made some changes to his starting team for the fixture. He rested some players who have been regulars so far, with one of those introduced in the second half being Mikel Merino.Merino Shows Signs Of RustinessIt was the Spaniard’s first start of the season after returning late from winning the 2026 World Cup, and Keown believes he showed some rustiness during the match.Merino had been missed by Arsenal last season, but his return to the starting team did not produce his best performance. Despite that, Keown remains impressed by the overall state of the team.Keown believes Arsenal have maintained the qualities that have made them a team capable of competing at the highest level, with their drive, determination and hunger still evident.(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)Keown Remains Positive About ArsenalKeown said via the Metro:‘I thought Mikel Merino coming back into midfield missed an opportunity tonight.‘We missed him last season but I thought he was a little rusty on his first start for a while.‘But overall it’s looking good for Arsenal. The drive and determination and hunger is there.’The season is long, and Merino will have plenty of time to build his fitness and regain his sharpness. Arsenal also have opportunities in other competitions, including the Carabao Cup, where he could gain more minutes.The Gunners will need their squad players to be ready as they target success in every competition they will play this season. Merino’s return gives Arteta another option in midfield, even if the Spaniard needs more time to reach his best level.For now, Arsenal can take plenty of encouragement from their Champions League victory and the overall performance of the team._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsMartin Keown says one Arsenal star looked rusty against Napoli10 September 2026, 12:00“Different environment to play football” Arteta reacts to Arsenal win at Napoli10 September 2026, 10:30Rice says Arsenal could have scored up to five goals against Napoli10 September 2026, 9:00The post Martin Keown says one Arsenal star looked rusty against Napoli appeared first on Just Arsenal News.