Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit top of the Premier League table after 14 matches five points clear of reigning champions Manchester City
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 12: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates with teammate Fabio Vieira after scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on November 12, 2022 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images) (Image: (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images))
Arsenal lead the way at the top of the Premier League table and will remain top of the tree at Christmas for the first time in years.
Manchester City lost ground to the Gunners in the title race on the final weekend of Premier League football before the World Cup break after losing to Brentford. Arsenal managed to move five points clear of the reigning champions as they cruised to a 2-0 victory against Wolves thanks to a brace from club captain Martin Odegaard.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko both left City in the summer transfer window to complete transfers to the Emirates Stadium, a decision which looks to be paying off so far this season. Pep Guardiola’s side remain many pundits favourites for the title, but every week that passes the Gunners continue to impress and fight City for their first title since 2004.
Despite remaining top of the table heading into the World Cup break, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville still believes Arsenal won’t win the title. Speaking on his Podcast, Neville said: “I said last week I thought City would win the title by 10-15 points and I’m going to hang in there with that prediction.
“Arsenal fans are killing me right now. I think they’re absolutely fantastic. They’re the best team in the league in the first 14 games by a mile.
“I was there in the first game and that first 25 minutes was electrifying between those front players, and they’ve maintained that. They’re really really good at the moment. They’ve got spirit, good football. I like what Jesus does.
“We won titles without players scoring 20-25 goals. Sometimes we had players not passing 15 goals. And what Jesus has done up front there is make the team better.
“I don’t think they’ll win the title, I think City will. I do think they’ll get into the top four.
“But I still think it will be interesting in February/March where they end up. I’ll say it time and time again until they prove me wrong. But, they’re the best team in the league now, the most consistent team.”
Chris Sutton had disagreed with Neville and feels the Gunners have all the qualities capable of upsetting City and lifting the Premier League title in May. Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Sutton said: “If you are in that Arsenal dressing room, it is not something you necessarily talk about.
“You are not shouting from the rooftops that you are in a title race. But deep down you believe that you can achieve something special together.
“Can Arsenal win the Premier League? Of course. Fourteen games in, they are not only top – they are top by five points after Saturday’s win over Wolves. They have shown tremendous consistency and they have got 24 games to go.”
Sutton believes a lot can still change and predicts that the January transfer window could prove to be crucial to the Gunners potential success this season. He added: “January will be interesting. Arsenal did so well in the summer, signing Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko — business that Manchester City can only regret now.
“Mikel Arteta will look to strengthen in the transfer window, sensing the opportunity. But if the bulk of Arsenal’s XI can stay fit, from Jesus to Zinchenko to Martin Odegaard, then why can’t they compete with Manchester City for the title?
“City have made mistakes and Arsenal are capitalising. Arteta will downplay their chances. He will not want to pile any pressure on his players. But all of football is looking at Arsenal now as title contenders.”
