During a live TV interview with Piers Morgan this week, Graeme Souness caused uproar with his comments about an Arsenal player he branded a ‘cheat’, following the Gunners’ narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Mikel Arteta’s side are still playing catch-up early in the 2026/27 Premier League season, trailing Manchester City - who have made a perfect start - by three points after claiming their first league title in 22 years last season.

They struggled to break down Forest’s defence on Sunday evening but eventually found a way through Noni Madueke, before digging their heels in to see out a match that offered little in the way of entertainment.

Arsenal’s winning formula has attracted plenty of criticism in recent years, with their dogged displays under a manager who subscribes to the dark arts proving an eyesore for rival pundits in particular. They get the job done, but Souness was far from impressed by one star’s antics, which clearly struck a nerve.

Piers Morgan and Graeme Souness Clash Over 'Cheat' Arsenal Star

Former Liverpool and Scotland captain Souness launched a savage attack on Bukayo Saka and accused the Arsenal talisman of being ‘a cheat’ who ‘dives all over the place’ during a live segment on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored show.

Saka frequently features among the Premier League players who are fouled most often, but the Scotsman believes the Arsenal winger is guilty of making too much of the contact he receives. The 73-year-old also took aim at Saka’s teammates, accusing them of piling pressure on referees and trying to sway their decisions. He said (watch the heated exchange below):

Piers, a die-hard (albeit outspoken) Arsenal fan, was left baffled by Souness' accusations, repeatedly asking his guest whether he was calling Saka a cheat, to which he replied: "Simulation is a form of cheating, yes. But it’s all over football today.

"If you asked 100 people what is it you dislike about the modern game, 50 per cent would say simulation, another 50 per cent would say VAR."

Bukayo Saka's 2026/27 Season So Far

Arsenal have the best defence in the league. That's proven beyond doubt by the fact they've conceded fewer goals than any other side, as well as kept the most clean sheets, over the last three campaigns.

However, they still appear to be lacking a cutting edge at the top end of the pitch, which could come back to bite them this season should Man City continue their purple patch.

Viktor Gyokeres, once seen as the missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle after becoming the big-money striker Arteta chose to bring to the club, now struggles for minutes. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, hasn't set the world alight in his place.

The Gunners' overreliance on Saka, then, becomes a re-emerging talking point. His tally of four goals in 10 matches across all competitions so far is promising, but he's still not getting the numbers that rival clubs' talismen are.

Is that down to Arteta's defensive tactics, or more the fact he still isn't being helped out by those who join him in the frontline? Either way, it feels like Arsenal's true potential cannot be reached until they start scoring more regularly.