Arsenal have a big advantage over Manchester City in the Premier League title race, but they cannot be complacent.
The Gunners went seven points clear at the top of the table after they beat Brighton and Pep Guardiola’s side dropped points against Nottingham Forest.
City, however, have a game in hand, and Eddie Howe believes they look like their old iconic selves again, which is concerning if you’re an Arsenal fan.
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Eddie Howe’s comments about Manchester City should worry Arsenal
Manchester City have been the best team in the Premier League over the last decade.
Since Guardiola took charge of the Sky Blues, they have won six English league titles and the Champions League, which is an extraordinary achievement.
In the seasons when they won the Premier League, City were outstanding in the second half of the campaign and barely put a foot wrong.
That got them over the line back then, and Newcastle United manager Howe has now claimed that he is seeing signs of the old Manchester City again.
Speaking after their FA Cup defeat, he said, as per The Metro: “I think that they [City] made changes to their team, but I think you see the strength in depth that they have and they possess.
“We seemed to lose our energy, but they do that to you because they keep the ball so well, they make you run, they make you chase, then you’re tired, and you make another technical mistake, and you’re chasing again.
“They’ve done that for years. That’s why, for me, they’ve been the best team that we’ve continually faced, and today I thought they were in a really good place, and we just fell out of energy.”
Howe further added: “That’s why they’ve been the best team for so long, and I think they’re coming back into the type of form that makes them that team again.
“They’re evolving into a different version of what they’ve been before, but very, very effective.”
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Arsenal players must remember that the title race is not over
It would be very easy to drop the standards when you’re seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table, but Arsenal cannot do that.
Manchester City have a game in hand, which means the gap is effectively just four points. Then comes the game between the two sides at the Etihad, where Guardiola’s men will want to reduce it to just one point.
As Declan Rice said, the title race is not over and there will still be many twists and turns in the final two months of the campaign.
That is why Howe’s comments become a big worry as he clearly feels Manchester City are showing signs of their old selves.
So, if Arsenal drop their guard, there is every chance they will end up in second place again.
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