Arsene Wenger believes it is not a case of if Arsenal win the Premier League this season but when, despite their recent mini wobble.
Heading into the hectic Christmas and New Year schedule, the Gunners hold a two point lead over a rampant Manchester City side who appear to have the bit between their teeth once again.
Mikel Arteta’s side have dropped points in each of their last three away games, including a defeat against fellow title aspirants Aston Villa, and only stumbled across the line on Saturday night when they required a last minute own goal to overcome bottom of the table Wolves.
The Gunners next six fixtures represent matches they failed to win in the corresponding games last season with Everton up next on Saturday night.
With injuries mounting up, Arteta faces a difficult task to navigate his way through the next month or so but his old boss is confident the Spaniard is up to the task, even with City breathing down Arsenal necks.
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‘No, Arsenal will win the league,’ Wenger told AFTV. ‘Why do you ask can? We will win the league. I’m honestly very confident, maybe it’s because I’m not involved. I am very confident, we will win.
‘We have a very balanced team, we have a good team attitude. We have top potential offensively and defensively and in every position we two players and in some we have three players.
It’s crunch time for Arsenal
Arsenal maintained their two point lead at the top over the weekend, but only by the skin of their teeth. With Manchester City now looking far more like their old selves, suddenly the Premier League title race is starting to take a very familiar shape.
The Gunners next six games could tell us a lot about whether they’re ready to go the distance this time given they dropped 13 points from the corresponding fixtures last season
- Everton (a) 1-1
- Brighton (h) 1-1
- Aston Villa (h) 2-2
- Bournemouth (a) 2-0
- Liverpool (h) 2-2
- Nottingham Forest (a) 0-0
‘Overall on the longer term we can cope with every competition.’
Asked if he would attend a potential title party should the Gunners end their 21-yrear wait to be crowned domestic kings, Wenger added: ‘I have been back but I’m very busy of course. You know I travel a lot but I will try to find a space.’
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has urged City to play on their own terms after they battled to a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
An even game was settled by City’s superior finishing as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden took their chances in either half before Haaland added a late third from the penalty spot.
Guardiola’s side had to dig in for the win that ensured they kept up the pressure on leaders Arsenal and their energy was impressive to defeat Oliver Glasner’s high-flying side just days after Wednesday’s victory away against Real Madrid.
Who will win the Premier League title this season?
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Arsenal
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Man City
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Aston Villa
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Liverpool
City have now won four in a row in the league and the manner in which they picked off Palace was hugely impressive.
‘Always when you approach the game, whoever the opponent, on your terms, good things are going to happen,’ said Guardiola. ‘There’s no sense to playing football without being who you are as an individual.
‘Still we are not at the top, but we are learning. We will be closer in the future. After playing in the Bernabeu, then we prepared to play the FA Cup winners.’