Bukayo Saka's injury-time mistake 'summed up' Arsenal's 'very disappointing' performance against Bayern Munich, says Gunners legend Martin Keown as he insists Mikel Arteta's side 'didn't lay a glove'

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  • Martin Keown slammed Arsenal for a 'hugely disappointing' performance 
  • He also felt Bukayo Saka could have made better decisions against Bayern 
  • Liverpool have been 'hungover' since Man United dumped them out of the FA Cup - where has their energy gone? Listen to the It's All Kicking Off podcast 

Martin Keown has criticised Bukayo Saka and his Arsenal team-mates for lacking know-how in crucial moments after their Champions League exit. 

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena and failed to trouble the German champions as they crashed out of the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

They managed just eight shots on goal and failed to flaunt their usual flair. While things started encouragingly, they were disappointing in the second half.

In the 95th minute, Saka passed a free kick quickly to Ben White instead of shooting or crossing into the box, before only hitting the first man from the subsequent corner. 

'It was very disappointing, kind of summed up at the end there when Saka for some reason taking a free kick [short] when there was the opportunity to really test the goalkeeper,' Keown told TNT Sports. 

Martin Keown criticised Bukayo Saka and Arsenal's decision-making in their 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich

Martin Keown criticised Bukayo Saka and Arsenal's decision-making in their 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich

Martin Keown criticised Bukayo Saka and Arsenal's decision-making in their 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich

Saka could have shot with a late free kick but chose not to, before failing to make the most of a corner

Saka could have shot with a late free kick but chose not to, before failing to make the most of a corner

'You just saw that little bit of lack of experience. There needs to be more urgency in the closing exchanges. Saka made that decision in the moment. 

'I admire that as well. But I think he might have been better taking that delivery from the free kick and it might have been a wonder goal.

‘You wanted to see the ball going in the box. That urgency wasn’t there and I think that’s a lack of experience, of being in those major games, and knowing what to do in those critical moments.

'No real urgency in those closing stages. Hugely disappointing. Just feel as though we didn’t really lay a glove on them in this second tie. It was there if we wanted it, as Owen said, and Bayern came out with the resolve, direct, and posed much more of a threat than Arsenal did. Look at that, sums it up doesn’t it, the last action of the game. 

'I think the cautiousness of the game really helped Bayern to sort of, “okay, let’s change gear in the second half," and Arsenal never really did that. They contained Arsenal. 

'It was just such a flat performance, even at the end there, the ball, get it in the box, get it in there, try and affect, and they didn’t seem prepared to do that. You don’t deserve to go through if you play a performance like that tonight.’ 

Arsenal had chances against Bayern, with Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Martin Odegaard all presented with opportunities.

It was a cagey affair in the first half but Bayern came flying out of the blocks in the second.

Arsenal had been aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009

Arsenal had been aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009

Leon Goretzka and Raphael Guerrero both hit the post in quick succession as an early warning to Mikel Arteta's men.

And on 63 minutes, Kimmich delivered on those threats as he headed past David Raya to send the baying Bayern crowd into a frenzy. 

Arsenal ultimately came up short and were unable to reach a first Champions League semi-final since 2009.  

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