Ex-Arsenal star makes confident title prediction after gritty Newcastle win

Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson has confidently backed the club to go on and win the Premier League title after their 1-0 win over Newcastle.

Arsenal’s title charge suffered an almighty dent in their previous encounter as they lost 2-1 away to rivals Manchester City, who subsequently went top with a midweek victory at Burnley.

But the Gunners reclaimed their place at the summit after a nervy contest at home to Newcastle on Saturday, with Eberechi Eze’s early strike proving the difference in front of an anxious Emirates crowd.

Mikel Arteta’s men squandered several opportunities to put the game to bed in the second half, missing out on the chance to boost their overall goal difference in the process – which could be pivotal come the end of the campaign.

The north Londoners return to Champions League action against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday before playing host to Fulham, where they will hope to go six points clear, with City having to wait until Monday night for their next clash with Everton.

‘It’s so hard to win in this league. We know that,’ Arteta told reporters after his side edged out Newcastle.

‘That’s why the amount of points that the teams that we have now [in the league] compared to all the years is different.

‘The reason is because it is so competitive, so difficult to do it.

‘At half-time the message was clear: we need to go and score the second goal.

‘We tried, but when you are not that efficient in certain areas, we certainly have to have other issues, other things to win the game.’

There were audible groans inside the Emirates as chance after chance went begging for Arsenal against a Newcastle team riding a wretched five-match losing streak.

But undeterred by the somewhat shaky performance, ex-Arsenal midfielder Robson remains confident that the club will end their 22-year wait for the league title this season.

‘I just think Arsenal will win the league,’ Robson told ESPN.

‘I don’t think Manchester City are going to win every game from now until the end of the season and I think Arsenal probably will.

‘I look at the fixtures and I think Arsenal win their games.’

Robson knows it will not be easy for Arsenal, though, with their match against Fulham sandwiched between two eagerly anticipated games with Atletico Madrid.

He added: ‘The three points today gives them that little bit of confidence and they could go and get six points ahead before Manchester City play their next Premier League game.

‘But they’ve also got a big game against Atletico Madrid to play so they’re going to have to put a lot more energy into that than Manchester City did against Southampton in the FA Cup because City played a lot of their second-string players.

‘Arsenal are going to have to play their best team over the two games against Atletico Madrid.’

Robson went on: ‘A lot of things have worked out in Arsenal’s favour this season.

‘If you look at the draw for the Champions League, everything has been in Arsenal’s favour. Also, the FA Cup… they should be in the semi-finals.’

Possible injuries to Kai Havertz and match-winner Eze took some of the glass off an otherwise positive evening for Arsenal’s squad on Saturday.

However, Arteta appeared unconcerned in his post-match press conference, telling reporters: They are muscular niggles. We don’t think it’s too much.

‘We have to wait and see if they’re going to be available for Wednesday.’

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