Rob Holding has matched Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s undesirable Arsenal exploit in the 2020-21 Premier League season following his own goal against Everton on Saturday.
Rob Holding’s own goal was the third by an Arsenal player in the Premier League this season (also Saka v Aston Villa and Aubameyang v Burnley). The Gunners had netted just two own goals in their previous four league campaigns combined.
— Shina Oludare 🇳🇬 (@sportingshina) December 19, 2020
Nigeria international Alex Iwobi had swayed a cross in and Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed into the English defender, who mistakenly diverted it into the net to give Carlo Ancelotti’s men a 22nd-minute lead.
In the process, he became the third player from the North London outfit to turn the ball into his own net this season.
In a twist of irony, Holding is the first Arsenal player to score an own goal against Everton in the Premier League since Arteta himself did so in April 2014, in a 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park.
1 - Rob Holding is the first Arsenal player to score an own goal against Everton in the Premier League since Mikel Arteta in April 2014. Desperation. pic.twitter.com/YK4zBeKw03
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 19, 2020
Saka put the ball past goalkeeper Bernd Leno as Mikel Arteta’s side succumbed 3-0 at home to Aston Villa on November 8. The England international of Nigerian descent gave the Claret and Blue Army a 25th-minute lead after he inadvertently slid the ball into his own net.
It was Aubameyang’s turn on December 13 as that helped Burnley pick up a remarkable 1-0 result from the Emirates Stadium.
The Gabon international headed into his own net while trying to clear Ashley Westwood’s corner, to the dismay of 2,000 returning Gunners supporters.
Despite Nicolas Pepe saving Holding’s blushes with a 35th-minute equaliser, Colombia international Yerry Mina had the final say with his 45th-minute winner as Arsenal slipped to a 2-1 defeat against the hosts at Goodison Park – adding to Arteta’s woes.
The Emirates Stadium giants, without injured captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, have now gone seven league games without a win.
Arsenal's 14 points from 14 games this season is their worst record at this stage of a season since the 1974-75 campaign (12 points, converted to three per win).
Both teams are in English Football League Cup quarter-final action in mid-week, with the 13-time league winners facing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on Tuesday, a day before Iwobi’s Everton host Odion Ighalo’s Manchester United.
Arsenal welcome high-flying Frank Lampard’s Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday – with the ambition of rescuing their season.