Tim Sherwood explains why Arsenal can't win Premier League title ahead of Manchester City
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood has explained why Arsenal can't beat Manchester City to the Premier League title.
The Gunners are flying high at the top of the table with 11 wins, one draw, and one defeat from 13 league fixtures.
They boast a two-point lead over City with just one league game remaining before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta went on record after his side's 1-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, 6 November, to say that they were title challengers for the moment, saying:
“We are today (challengers). But in football, today and tomorrow is very different. So let’s enjoy the time."
Sherwood did suggest the Gunners could win the league title, but only if they weren't in a race with reigning champions City.
He told talkSPORT:
“Why not? The only problem is they have Man City in their way. Take Man City out of it, I know we can’t, you’d say they would be favourites at this moment in time.”
Sherwood lauded Arsenal's style of play before praising Arteta for the work he has done at the Emirates Stadium:
“Not only because of the position where they are in the league but the style of how they play and the confidence they have, the trust the manager has in them and the trust they (the players) have in their coach, which is Mikel Arteta who’s done a brilliant job."
However, Sherwood believes that City's Erling Haaland may be the difference maker.
The Norweigan frontman has scored an incredible 18 goals in just 12 league appearances since arriving at the Etihad from Borussia Dortmund in the summer for £54 million.
Sherwood concluded:
“But can they win it? I don’t think so because of City and because of Erling Haaland. Put Erling Haaland in Arsenal’s team. They win the Premier League.”
Etihad! #mancity
Goose bumps 💙 Etihad! #mancity https://t.co/WY8MXvnV1w
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko wants his side to rid themselves of the top-four stereotype
Arsenal have become known as merely a top-four side, having not won the Premier League title since 2003.
They have finished in the top four on 12 occasions since their title triumph in 2003 but have not qualified for the Champions League since 2016.
Zinchenko arrived at the Emirates Stadium from City in the summer for £32 million and is eager for the Gunners to establish themselves as genuine title contenders.
He said (in the aforementioned article):
"I got used to hearing that Arsenal were top four. I would say that I really want to kill and destroy this stereotype. We need to look further and I think this team, this group of people, the fans, they deserve more."
Always together
🙌 Always together
🗣 Mikel on our supporters this season 👇 https://t.co/npouBVzBYH
Arteta's side face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, 12 November at Molineaux Stadium in their final fixture before the World Cup.