Manchester United hero Owen Hargreaves admits that Arsenal have ‘blown me away’ this term under Mikel Arteta. But he still doubts the Gunners can win the Premier League title.
The Emirates Stadium outfit visit Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Sunday topping the top-flight table. They lead the defending champions, Manchester City, through 17 games. Arteta has also endured just one defeat from a Premier League-leading 14 wins.
Only Pep Guardiola’s Citizens have also scored more goals than Arsenal with 45 to 40 after 17 games. While just Newcastle United, who held the Gunners to a 0-0 draw last Tuesday, have conceded fewer goals. The Toon have let in 11 after 18 games to Arteta’s squad’s 14.
Manchester City could reduce the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to two points before the Gunners visit Tottenham. The Citizens visit Manchester United in the Manchester derby this Saturday in a 12:30 kick-off. They won 2-0 at Old Trafford last term.
Guardiola’s victory at Old Trafford helped Manchester City go on to lift the 2021/22 title by a point to Liverpool. The Citizens took 93 points from 29 wins and six draws last season as Arsenal finished in fifth place. The Gunners sealed 69 points from 22 wins and three draws.
Hargreaves likens Arsenal to Leicester City winning the 15/16 Premier League title
The 2021/22 title was Manchester City’s fourth Premier League crown in the past five top-flight campaigns. Arsenal have not won the Premier League title since the 2003/04 season when Arsene Wenger’s side became the Invincibles. It was their 13th top-flight title in all.
Arsenal finished as the runners-up for the Premier League title in the 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2004/05 and 2015/16 seasons. Their best finish in the past six terms is fifth in 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2021/22. They finished just eighth in 2019/20 and 2020/21.
For Arsenal to now be title contenders has blown Hargreaves away but he doubts they can win the Premier League. Although he likens their current position to that of Leicester City when the Foxes won the 2015/16 title. The Gunners finished in second but 10 points back.
“Arsenal have blown me away,” he told talkSPORT. “I think they are going to continue that run and win the [Tottenham] game 2-1. I don’t think [they will win the Premier League title]. They are a bit like Leicester – they didn’t believe until late in the season, March, April.
“I think Arsenal, even they are starting to believe they will do it. Defensively, they have been unbelievable. I think they can [go all the way] but I don’t think they will.”
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