Arsenal led the Premier League title race for the large majority of last season but, in the final weeks of the campaign, Manchester City leapfrogged the Gunners. Determined to snatch Pep Guardiola’s crown, Mikel Arteta forked out millions in the summer to further bolster his squad.
The north London outfit welcomed Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, who suffered a horrible anterior cruciate ligament just weeks after his arrival, and David Raya to the Emirates Stadium. Not only have Arsenal mounted a title bid, they’ve also ventured into the Champions League quarter-finals.
The next couple of weeks are season-defining so Arteta will be hoping that his players can hold their nerve. With that being said, football.london has taken a look at what the big-name pundits have predicted will happen.
Speaking on Sky Sports over the weekend, Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp made their Premier League title race predictions. The former Manchester United midfielder appeared to back Manchester City, although he had a lot of praise for Mikel Arteta.
Meanwhile, the former Liverpool midfielder noted the North London Derby as the fixture which could determine whether or not Arsenal deserve to win the English top flight. Keane said: “It’s never been done four years in a row and there’s a reason for that.
“There’s an emotional rollercoaster you have to deal with and that’s where the managers come into it. Pep’s one of the greatest managers of all time. Klopp’s done an amazing job at Liverpool and he’s leaving, so there’s the emotional side of that.
“Arteta probably still has to get to the level of the other two managers but he’s doing a brilliant job, and he’s got that hunger. That’s why it’s intriguing. Arteta has done a brilliant job of rebuilding after last year, when people said they bottled it and all that carry on.
“They recruited really well in the summer. It could be goal difference or a refereeing decision. It’s so exciting.”
Redknapp added: “If Liverpool could have won [at Man Utd] and won the rest of their games, they would have won the title. It’s not in your hands anymore. But there will be twists and turns.
“We’ve got the Champions League to play – they’re going to be tough games for Manchester City and Arsenal. The managers are going to play a big part. Pep Guardiola’s done it, Jurgen Klopp’s done it – Mikel Arteta hasn’t done it.
“But with the better goal difference, you have to make Arsenal favourites right now. They’re in good form and teams look like they can’t score against them. But when they go to Tottenham, that is going to be the game.
“If Arsenal can go there and get three points, they’ll deserve to win the title. This is the best Premier League title race we’ve ever seen. We’ve got three fantastic sides, great players and managers. I can even see it going to the last day – that helicopter with the trophy in the sky. Perfect.”
Glenn Hoddle ‘fancies’ Arsenal to progress into the Champions League semi-finals, but the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager believes winning the competition could be too much to ask. Speaking on TNT Sports, he said: “I do fancy their chances.
“I’ve watched Bayern Munich quite a bit this season and they’re not functioning anywhere near they should be. Harry Kane is a danger, of course, and wouldn’t it be ironic if that boy knocked Arsenal out.
“But over two legs I really fancy Arsenal, I think they will go through. I fancy them against Bayern Munich,” Hoddle added. “City found it really hard to get through them and break them down. But I do think those two teams would be too much for them.”
Speaking on Sky Sports in February, following Arsenal’s win over Liverpool, Gary Neville slammed Kai Havertz and encouraged Arteta to sign a new striker. The former Chelsea ace has since scored five goals and provided four assists in eight Premier League appearances.
The former Manchester United defender said: “The thing with Mikel Arteta is that to me, he’s achieved the best he can with this group of players. I don’t look at them and think he can get any more out of them.
“He’s honestly achieving the maximum with this group and that’s a great job he’s done but I just wish they had that one player at the top of the pitch – they spent £65million on Havertz in the summer but I was watching him today and he’s quite languid.
“There’s no change of pace in his runs, no little darts, no movement and then you look at [Gabriel] Jesus when he plays and he’s everywhere except where you’d want him to be as a striker. I love him, I love him to bits, but when you want him in the six-yard box, he’s on the right wing or playing at right-back!
“Then you have Nketiah who is probably the most natural of them all as a striker, but he’s not up to the standard of the other two as a player, so all three of them have that deficiency that they can’t deliver.”
