Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has revealed that he’s changed his mind on the outcome of the Premier League title race since the start of the season.
The Gunners currently sit at the top of the league, three points clear of second-placed Manchester City, and four points above the Merseysiders.
Mikel Arteta’s team face Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon at the Emirates, while City visit Aston Villa and Liverpool play away at Brentford.
This set of fixtures could have a significant impact on the title race, although there are bound to be several twists and turns before the winner is crowned in May.
Jermaine Pennant now thinks Arsenal will win the Premier League
Arsenal dismantled Atletico Madrid in midweek, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches across all competitions.
The Gunners have been in sensational form of late, seeing off every challenge thrown at them with relative ease.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have lost each of their last three Premier League games, and City are heavily reliant on Erling Haaland sustaining his absurd form.
These factors have contributed to many pundits changing their predictions from the beginning of the season. Ally McCoist now believes Arsenal are favourites, while Alan Shearer has also tipped Arteta’s side to lift the title.
Speaking on the Wildcards Podcast, Pennant admitted that he’s also joined this camp.
“They’re [Liverpool] still in the mix,” the ex-winger said.
“I would switch to Arsenal favourites, but they’re still in the mix. Like I said, there are a lot of players, and you know what it’s like when you go to a new team and that cohesion takes time to build.”
Erling Haaland’s form is the biggest threat to Arsenal
Liverpool can certainly still win the league.
While Arne Slot’s side haven’t clicked into gear yet, they possess the level of talent that can tear the league apart if they can find some cohesion and chemistry.
However, there are several question marks around the north-west club and their lack of depth in key areas, which means that Arsenal’s strength should be sufficient to finish above them.
City are more likely to pose a greater challenge, largely down to one man. Haaland has scored 15 goals in 11 matches this season, and he doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon.
Pep Guardiola has built a system that maximises Haaland’s quality, with his team set-up to funnel everything towards the Norwegian.
If the striker sustains an injury and misses a protracted period of the campaign, then City’s title charge will be in jeopardy. If this doesn’t happen, then they’ll certainly be in the mix.
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