Martin Keown agrees with Mikel Arteta that a third club will rival Arsenal and Manchester City for the Premier League title this season.
The Gunners, bidding to win the title for the first time since 2004, remain two points clear at the top of the table after a disappointing weekend.
Arteta’s side conceded an injury-time goal to lose 2-1 to Aston Villa before second-placed Man City thumped Sunderland 3-0 to close the gap at the top of the Premier League.
The defeat at Villa Park was just Arsenal’s second of the season after they were beaten 1-0 by faltering defending champions Liverpool back in August.
Arsenal have been the best team in England this season but dropping points in three of their last five league games has given their domestic rivals some much-needed title hope.
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Speaking after Arsenal’s defeat to Aston Villa, Arteta insisted Unai Emery’s side must now be considered title challengers.
‘They are,’ Arteta said when asked if Villa can challenge. ‘When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home.
‘Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well.’
Villa have recovered from a slow start to the season to climb to third in the Premier League, three points behind Arsenal.
Emery’s side, who reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, have won seven games in a row in all competitions.
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Emery has been quick to downplay Aston Villa’s title credentials but Keown agrees with Arteta that the Midlands club can challenge for the Premier League trophy.
‘Unai Emery doesn’t want to create too much pressure or attraction around his team,’ Keown said on talkSPORT. ‘But the job he has done there is quite remarkable.
‘Villa were affected by financial fair play quite a bit and it looked like it was going a bit stale there at the start of the season.
‘But the way Emery has kept it going with that core group of players is quite remarkable. Villa Park is a fortress right now and I applaud the job Emery has done. He’s doing a magnificent job.
‘We have to say that, yes, Aston Villa are in the title race. I do think they are and that’s more to do with their manager than anything else. Emery has turned them into title challengers.’
Aston Villa will hope to continue their momentum in the Premier League against struggling West Ham next weekend.
Before that Emery’s side are in Europa League action against Basel. Villa are third in the European competition ahead of Thursday’s clash.
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