Martin Keown claims it might be ‘higher’ and ‘healthier’ for Arsenal that Premier League title rivals Manchester City pulled off an incredible win over Liverpool at Anfield.
Man City were staring down the barrel of a nine-point deficit within the title race after seeing Arsenal win earlier within the weekend and Liverpool take the lead in Sunday’s much-anticipated clash.
Mikel Arteta’s side, bidding to win the Premier League for the primary time in 22 years, beat Sunderland 3-0 on Saturday to temporarily move nine points clear at the highest of the table.
It looked as if Arsenal would end the weekend with that significant lead when Dominik Szoboszlai scored an excellent 74th-minute free-kick to interrupt the deadlock.
But Bernardo Silva equalised ten minutes later and Erling Haaland scored an injury-time penalty as Man City produced a formidable comeback to seal their first win at Anfield since 2021.
The turnaround leaves Pep Guardiola’s side six points behind title rivals Arsenal with 13 games remaining.
Most pundits suggested the title race would have been all but done had Liverpool beaten Man City but Keown believes the comeback could the truth is be ‘healthy’ for his former club Arsenal.
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‘I used to be excited about the sport the opposite day and you understand if Arsenal’s lead goes to nine points the narrative will probably be that their champions,’ the three-time title winner said on talkSPORT.
‘I actually thought to myself, possibly it’s higher if Man City win this game just to maintain you real. If you’re a prospective champion, that is the life you must lead.
‘You must expect the unexpected, it was an incredible result for Man City but Arsenal didn’t lose any ground this weekend, they themselves won a vital match against a superb side.
‘There’s so many more twists and turns to go but you must shut out the surface noise. After all it will have been handy to go nine points clear but the actual fact it didn’t occur, Arsenal haven’t been derailed by that.
‘I actually saw loads from Arsenal on the weekend that made me think they may go the gap. Man City may take a look at this as a definitive moment for them within the title race and a win that has kept them alive nevertheless it was at all times alive.
‘And actually, I believe six points as a substitute of nine is healthier since the narrative of Arsenal not being strong enough.
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‘In the event that they go nine points clear, it’s theirs to lose again and we get all that propaganda to attempt to keep this story alive.’
Arsenal’s lead might be cut to only three points by the point they face London rivals Brentford on Thursday night as Manchester City tackle Fulham the previous evening.
Speaking after the comeback at Anfield, Guardiola insisted there was ‘a number of time’ for twists and turns within the title race as Man City bid to reel in Arsenal.
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‘I actually have a sense that improving somewhat bit won’t be enough to compete against Arsenal,’ Guardiola said. ‘Now we have to play them at home and naturally we have now to beat them.
‘And I’ve said, 13 games within the Premier League, from my standpoint, from my little experience, is a number of time, loads.
‘It’s proper. Whenever you go into the last games playing any team in a relegation battle, it’s a correct game, football game.
‘Because they live to survive they usually have long weeks to arrange, whereas you come from FA Cup, you come from Carabao Cup, you come from the Champions League.
‘That makes an influence within the title race, that’s why being nine, 10, 11 points is tougher, that’s why all we are able to do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal.
‘We want to maintain being there, and take a look at in the event that they sleep, in the event that they make something [a mistake], to make use of it.’
Arsenal play Manchester City twice within the space of three weeks towards the tip of the season, first within the Carabao Cup final after which in an enormous Premier League clash on the Etihad Stadium.
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