Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal might be a ‘different beast’ next season and an ‘even harder’ team to beat within the Premier League.
The Gunners, who haven’t won a league title since 2004, boast a five-point lead at the highest of the table with nine games remaining.
That lead might have been even healthier but Mikel Arteta’s side drew with Brentford and Wolves before winning their last two games against London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea.
While Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League, second-placed Manchester City do have a game in hand and a house match against the Gunners to attempt to eat into their title lead.
Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand expects Arsenal to recover from the road within the title race ‘somehow’ and has suggested that might kick-start a successful period for the north London side.
‘I feel Arsenal will win this title somehow,’ he said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. ‘I feel they win it by any means mandatory.
‘I feel the next yr, with that confidence and the silverware, they turn out to be a special beast altogether and much more of a harder team to play against.’
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Ferdinand also defended Arsenal’s reliance on set-piece goals this season, insisting they’re striking ‘fear’ into their rivals.
Arteta’s side have scored 32 goals from set-pieces to this point this season and 24 from corners alone.
Two goals from corners in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea took their tally to 16 within the Premier League, the joint-most by any team in history.
‘I absolutely agree and respect it [Arsenal’s tactics],’ added Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles at Manchester United.
‘I still think they deserve respect for the way in which they’ve crafted this and the way in which they’ve got this together and turn out to be so dominant.
‘It’s fearful now, you possibly can sense fear within the opposition once they get a set-piece, the deliveries are a joke.’
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Arsenal proceed their Premier League title charge against Brighton on Wednesday night.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side have largely underwhelmed this season but back-to-back wins has taken them as much as eleventh within the table.
Chris Sutton says Arsenal are usually not playing anywhere near their best but still expects the Gunners to maneuver one step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy by beating the Seagulls.
‘Arsenal are usually not playing fluently in any respect, but take a look at the depth they’ve of their squad,’ he told BBC Sport.
‘For the time being it looks like they’ve players who can come off the bench and impact games in the event that they need it.
‘This game won’t be easy – Declan Rice is an injury doubt for the Gunners and Brighton have just picked up back-to-back wins, with Danny Welbeck scoring in each – but I still think Arsenal will discover a strategy to win it.’
Arsenal have already beaten Brighton twice this season, first by two goals within the Carabao Cup after which 2-1 within the league back in December.
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