Arteta dismissed Leno’s claims over Arsenal benching

Bernd Leno has found himself behind the newly signed

in Arsenal’s pecking order. The former Sheffield United keeper has started the last three games for the Gunners in the Premier League, with Leno suddenly losing his place in Mikel Arteta’s lineup.

In a post-match interview after Arsenal’s victory over Tottenham last week, Leno claimed he had been given no clear reason by the coach as to why he had been dropped.

"There was no clear reason why I was out, but it had nothing to do with my performance,”

Leno told Bild.

“He is the trainer, he decides. Of course, it's difficult for me.

“'Only if nothing changes in my situation by winter would I have to think about things: what option do I have, how can I continue? I’m concentrating on my work in training; I can't commit to anything else at the moment.”

Mikel Arteta insists he had talked with the 29-year-old two days before Arsenal’s game against Norwich last month.

“I had a very clear conversation with him 48 hours before I was going to make the decision,”

Arteta said.

“Obviously any conversation I have with him is completely private and I'm not going to speak with any media about it.”

Leno is expected to stay on the bench for Arsenal’s upcoming league game against Brighton on Saturday. The Gunners can extend their winning streak to four league games if they manage to beat the in-form Seagulls.

When asked what he expects to see from Leno, the Spanish coach responded:

“The same that he's done every single day,” Arteta said.

“Train the way he does, be the way he is, the person he is, the way he handles himself, and try to help the other keepers and the other keepers try to help him.”

After the international break, the Gunners will continue their league campaign with a match against Crystal Palace on October 18.

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