Arsenal hero Martin Keown is unhappy with Mikel Arteta's new contract.

Keown has criticised the club's timing of handing the manager his new deal

He told talkSPORT: "They've just lost three games and won three games. I thought they might have waited until the summer because we are now at a crossroads and got a huge game coming up.

"They obviously feel there's no desire for any change, they're happy. I think they're right.

"I probably would've waited until the summer.

"Perhaps there was a clamour for the manager from other clubs, we don't know what's happening internally, they wanted to meet his needs and felt no reason for any kind of change.

"We could've been looking at a very different situation had they not beaten Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham all in one week.

"If they'd been announcing after losing those games it might have been a different situation.

"I think it's good for the players, get the man in and settled in place. The person in charge has to be looked after and resolved.

"It feels like the start of the journey."