Arsenal have emerged as the favourites to clinch the Premier League crown following their brilliant recent run of form.
Mikel Arteta’s squad have secured three consecutive league victories to establish a three-point advantage over their competitors after eight fixtures. The Gunners’ emphatic 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League’s league phase during the week delivered a resounding statement that they’re also a formidable presence in Europe, where they’ve maintained a flawless record.
However, as we’re all too familiar with, football progresses rapidly and Arteta must now redirect his players’ attention to Sunday’s challenging home encounter against Crystal Palace.
Here’s all the latest news from the Emirates.
Danny Murphy anticipates Arsenal will capture the Premier League title this campaign.
Yet, unlike other pundits and certain supporters who consider it a disaster if Arteta fails to secure silverware this season, Murphy believes it would be “ridiculous” to dismiss the Spaniard should they sustain this standard of play whilst still missing out on their targets, reports the Mirror.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he declared: “I think they will win the Premier League. In the Champions League… PSG, when everyone is fit, they’re on a different level. But I don’t agree that Mikel Arteta has to win something.
“If you get 98 points and lose the title on the final day or lose the Champions League final in extra-time because of a bad refereeing decision you’re not going to get rid of the manager, are you? That would be ridiculous.
“So I don’t think he has to win something, but he would have to be damn unlucky and be competitive right until the end in both competitions to be forgiven.”
Gary Neville has been outspoken in his belief that Arsenal will clinch the Premier League title this season, despite his prediction falling flat last year.
The Manchester United icon has been known to make sweeping, knee-jerk remarks when Arsenal’s results haven’t gone their way, criticising what he saw as an overly defensive strategy against Liverpool and Manchester City earlier this season.
However, Neville now insists Arsenal’s recent performances against top-tier teams mean they should be favourites for the Premier League crown.
“They’ve played United away, Man City, Liverpool away. They’ve played nearly everybody already and they’re where they are,” Neville stated on the Stick to Football podcast.
“It is wrong to say this because it is ridiculous and we’ve all been in title races. If they don’t win it from here… we’ve all predicted Arsenal to win the league right, we know it can go wrong.
“If they don’t win it from where the other teams are and the confident position they’re in now… a lot can change, but they’re in a good place. It feels like the Newcastle game turned the corner.
“It’s not a putting pressure on them statement, they just must be thinking, ‘This is us, this year, we’ve got to win it’.
“When you can bring in Myles Lewis-Skelly for Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera coming in with no drop off, it’s looking scary.”
