Gary Lineker has modified his Premier League title prediction after Manchester City took advantage of Arsenal’s defeat to Bournemouth by beating Chelsea.
Arsenal had the prospect to open up a 12-point lead at the highest of the table on Saturday but slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth.
Man City took full advantage of their title rivals’ setback, thumping Chelsea 3-0 on Sunday to chop Arsenal’s lead within the title race to simply six points.
Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand to drag even closer to Arsenal and a monumental home match against the Gunners next weekend.
England legend Lineker has repeatedly backed Arsenal to turn out to be Premier League champions but has modified his mind after a potentially defining weekend within the title race.
‘That they had nothing against Bournemouth, no creativity in anyway,’ Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘They didn’t appear to have any belief in any respect.
‘They weren’t even superb defensively and they’ve just about been in a position to guarantee that this season.
‘It was the primary time I believed they won’t win the title, particularly following Man City’s performance against Chelsea within the second half when I believed they were absolutely good.
‘I just thought to myself, for the primary time I’m actually not sure Arsenal are going to do it. I’ve been convinced for months but I’m undecided now. Next week’s game is a monster, isn’t it?
‘I’ve been telling everyone I do know that Arsenal will probably be positive and that they’re not going to choke. But they’re stuttering, they’ve lost their form on the moment and we understand how essential momentum is.
‘And all of the momentum now could be with Man City. It’s so tough to call now but should you said it is advisable to put your life on the road, which I’d hate to must do under these circumstances, I’d probably now go City because I believe they are going to win next week.’
Meanwhile, Gary Neville – who won eight Premier League titles at Manchester United – believes it can be ‘traumatic’ for Arsenal in the event that they miss out on the title once more.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an internet
browser that
supports HTML5
video
‘I said just a few months ago that Arsenal must win this title from the position that they’re in and I still imagine they must since it’s a protracted road back at the tip of the season,’ Neville told Sky Sports.
‘In the event that they don’t win it this 12 months, it can really be traumatic. We all know the build-up to the sport next week, what the narrative goes to be against Arsenal – that Man City are going to catch you, and there appears to be a way of joy watching Arsenal collapse.
‘They’ve got to try to swim against the tide and hold their nerve. They’ve got a job to do in midweek within the Champions League, which actually could be helpful for them.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an internet
browser that
supports HTML5
video
‘If Arsenal had per week to take into consideration this match [against Man City], I don’t think it could help them in any respect. They will perhaps get some confidence through progressing to the Champions League semi-final.
‘But before next Sunday, they’ve got to search out a balance of that emotion that you just need, which is passion and fight to win a football match, but not becoming too desperate.
‘Arsenal losing on Saturday isn’t because they don’t want it – it’s because they need it an excessive amount of and their legs have began to get heavy.
‘You’re going on your first title, you begin to turn out to be consumed, and it’s the mentally emotional drain meaning your legs physically appear drained.
‘That’s a little bit of what we saw against Bournemouth – the expectation of ‘we’re going to win this match, we’re going to win a title, and we’re eager to do it’.
‘They’re not saying that themselves, it’s the noise across the club, the emotion within the stadium, the expectation, the very fact they’ve not done it within the last two or three years after they’ve been on this position.
‘That is where it gets real. That is the title race now, they usually’ve got to by some means clear their minds and get that emotional balance correct.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Gary Neville makes fresh Arsenal title claim after Man City destroy Chelsea
MORE: Man City or Arsenal? Wayne Rooney makes prediction for Premier League ‘title decider’
MORE: Arsenal legend Paul Merson makes Manchester United title prediction