Paul Scholes fears there isn’t a way back for Arsenal within the Premier League title race and is confident Manchester City could have their measure in Sunday’s top of the table clash.
The Gunners saw their nine-point lead reduced last weekend when their home defeat against Bournemouth was ruthlessly capitalised on by Pep Guardiola’s side who’re hitting form at just the precise point within the season.
A devastating second-half display at Stamford Bridge, decorated by quickfire goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku helped put Chelsea to the sword and piled the pressure on Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta’s side seem like wilting within the face of mounting scrutiny and their record against the Premier League’s elite is hardly cause for optimism as they prepare to travel to the Etihad, a venue at which they haven’t won since 2015.
Faltering Arsenal must first overcome Sporting Lisbon within the Champions League tomorrow night before attention will turn to a potentially decisive clash with City, but Scholes fears the result’s already something of a foregone conclusion.
‘I just think Arsenal have gone, me,’ the previous Manchester United midfielder told The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast
‘I just think all of the momentum is with City. In some unspecified time in the future, you will have to beat your rivals. I’ve not seen them do it, they don’t win big games.’
Scholes’ former teammate and podcast co-presenter Nicky Butt agreed the writing appears to be on the wall for a bunch of players who’re displaying the mental fragility that has reared its head up to now.
‘Until you’ve won it, or got over that hurdle, it’s an absolute nightmare,’ he said.
‘You’re just pondering that you just’re going to allow them to down again, and you’ll be able to see that now with Arsenal and City, especially with Pep in charge, the quantity of times he’s won the title.’
A 3rd former United midfield general and multiple title winner Roy Keane, meanwhile, argued it us as much as the senior players within the Arsenal dressing room, including Declan Rice, to get a grip of the present situation and display some much-needed leadership.
He said: ‘Rice has to point out more leadership skills. That was a nervous performance. It’s okay being nervous, it’s the way you take care of it.
‘When a team is pressing you – and Bournemouth really were – when it goes back to the goalkeeper and also you’re showing for it, don’t; you’ve got a giant goal man.
‘Don’t complicate it, especially in case you’re nervous. I’d fairly be nervous up the sector than giving the ball away cheaply in our own half.
‘You might have to smell these items. It’s not like Arsenal learned from the primary half, they were doing it within the second half too.
‘People like Rice, talking about leadership skills, they’ve got to get a grip of individuals.
‘Persons are taking a look at Arteta, the fans are nervous, no – that is on the players.
‘The fans aren’t going to do it for you, the manager can only accomplish that much, he’s got an excellent squad together in a superb position.
‘Arsenal have gotten to get a grip – or it should slip by.’
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