Martin Keown has revealed his verdict on Arsenal’s Premier League title credentials this season.
The Gunners sit top of the league after seven matches, having conceded just three goals in the process.
Mikel Arteta’s team strolled to a 2-0 win over West Ham in their last fixture, and they now have a winnable set of games coming up against the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace and Burnley.
Alan Shearer now thinks Arsenal will win the title, and he’s not the only one who has adopted this take.
Martin Keown says he’s thought Arsenal can win the Premier League since the start of the season
Arsenal were in crisis mode after their 1-1 draw against Manchester City in September.
The result left the Gunners five points adrift of Liverpool, and many fans, pundits and journalists were criticising Arteta for his pragmatism.
Fast forward three weeks, and the North Londoners are now being tipped to win the title comfortably by many.
An impressive win over Newcastle and a routine victory over West Ham, combined with consecutive defeats for Liverpool, was enough to change the narrative entirely.
However, former Arsenal defender Keown hasn’t allowed recency bias to cloud his judgement. Speaking on talkSPORT, the pundit claimed that he’s always thought that the Gunners ‘can’ be champions.
“I was asked that question at the start of the season in my role with the BBC, and I said, ‘Yeah, I think Arsenal can be champions this year, and I haven’t backed them in the last three or four years.’ I thought they were in the race,” Keown said.
“This year, though, when I saw the acquisitions in the summer, there’s no doubt that they’ve gone up a gear and they’re doing it on the pitch. [Cristhian] Mosquera, the central defender, has come in; you’re not really seeing any drop in level with the two Arsenal central defenders. Saliba is signing a new contract.
“[Martin] Zubimendi in midfield, you know, these guys, they’re playing for Spain now, and then they’re putting on boots for Arsenal every week. So, it’s been a good story at the start of the season, but it’s only the very beginning, Jim.
“It’s about being there in March, April, and winning something significant. And that’s what it is for Arsenal. Everyone knows that the pressure is on them to do that, but they’re enjoying it and they’ve got to love it.
“That’s how you do it. You take it on board. You love it every day. You eat, breathe, sleep football.”
Arsenal have the best underlying data in the Premier League this season
According to the data, Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League so far this season.
The Gunners come out on top in almost every metric, including offensive statistics, despite the criticism that has been levelled at their attacking play.
| Arsenal’s Premier League Statistics 2025/26 | ||
| Statistic | Arsenal’s value | League Rank |
| Goals Scored | 15 | 2nd |
| Goals Conceded | 3 | 1st |
| Shots Taken | 105 | 2nd |
| Shots Conceded | 56 | 1st |
| Expected Goals For | 11.9 | 4th |
| Expected Goals Against | 4.3 | 1st |
| Expected Goal Difference | +7.5 | 1st |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 236 | 1st |
| Opposition Touches in own Box | 98 | 1st |
| Possession | 57.6% | 3rd |
As shown by the numbers above, Arteta’s team suppress opposition shots better than any team in the league, while they also spend more time in the opposition’s box than anyone else.
This is exceptionally encouraging for the Spanish manager and suggests they’re very much heading in the right direction.
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