"Without a shadow of a doubt" - Alan Shearer highlights key advantage Arsenal have over Manchester City in PL title race
Premier League icon Alan Shearer has highlighted one key advantage Arsenal have over Manchester City in the title race this season. The former Newcastle United striker reckoned that the Gunners' strong defence could fire them to the summit of English football.
Arsenal's defence has left many impressed, with strong showings in each of the last few seasons. The players have shown no signs of slowing down this term as they continue to make manager Mikel Arteta proud with their consistently solid performances.
The Gunners have conceded just once in four games this term despite coming up against teams like Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Alan Shearer believes their defensive acumen gives them the edge in the Premier League title race while hailing the backline as the best in the division at the moment.
"I think once Arsenal go 1-0 up against you, they're tough to get back, because they are - they've got the best back four in the Premier League, without a shadow of a doubt," he said on the Rest Is Football podcast.
"They don't give hardly anything away, Spurs just kept trying to put hopeful balls into the box and Arsenal dealt with it easily. They deserved the three points Arsenal, without playing particularly well, which has to be a good sign," he added.
It is interesting to note that only Brighton have managed to find a way past the Gunners' defence so far this season. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium on August 31, with Joao Pedro scoring for the visitors and Bukayo Saka scoring for the hosts in a thrilling contest.
What is next for Arsenal?
After bouncing back to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby at the weekend, the Gunners will now switch their focus to the UEFA Champions League. They will go head-to-head with Atalanta in Italy this Thursday (September 19).
The north London outfit will return to action in the Premier League on Sunday (September 22) with a highly anticipated clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. That will be followed by a face-off with Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the FA Cup on September 25.
As it stands, Mikel Arteta's men occupy the second position in the Premier League table with 10 points from four games. They could potentially climb to the summit if they can manage to defeat Pep Guardiola's side in Manchester.