Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has insisted the Premier League title race is not over, despite seeing his former side slip to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The result saw the Gunners’ lead at the summit cut to just three points, with City holding a crucial game in hand ahead of their midweek fixture against Burnley.
While the mood among the Arsenal faithful has turned increasingly bleak, Keown remains adamant that Mikel Arteta’s side can still cross the finish line first.
“I saw something there to encourage me, not discourage me,” Keown said on Talksport.
“It was toe-to-toe and there was nothing in it. It could have gone either way. If Kai Havertz scores in that last minute, I see that as a fair result.
“We still go to war. They have won this battle, but it’s a big battle and they are just coming together at the right time.”
However, the defeat followed a damaging run of form that included draws against Wolves and Nottingham Forest, as well as a shock loss to Bournemouth.
Keown’s fellow Talksport pundit Simon Jordan was less forgiving in his assessment, suggesting that the “aura” of Manchester City is beginning to overwhelm an Arsenal side that has led the way for 240 days this season.
“If Arsenal are to lose this Premier League, they won’t have lost it because they lost to Man City yesterday,” former Crystal Palace owner Jordan argued.
“They’ll have lost it because they drew against Forest and Wolves when they were 2-0 up. There is a different ingredient between those that can win and those that look like they can win.”
Arsenal have been forced to cope without key figures such as Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber in recent weeks, a factor Keown believes has been pivotal. He pointed to the lack of “tenacity” and the struggle to find a rhythm with a depleted squad as reasons for the recent stutter.
The pressure now shifts to the final five games of the campaign. Arsenal host Newcastle next weekend, while City face an FA Cup tie before returning to league action. Despite the heartbreak in Manchester, Keown urged the players to shut out the external noise.
“You need to keep believing and that has to be really strong,” Keown added.
“You see world-class players everywhere and you draw off everyone. You just go after it. They have to beat Newcastle and that’s it. There’s no point thinking about anything else.”