Originally Posted by Arsenal Alcoholic Review
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The Racing Post staff give their verdicts (from today’s paper)
Aaron Ashley - Arsenal
There were worrying signs for Manchester City in their defeat at Tottenham on Sunday and there is a vulnerability about Pep Guardiola's men which hasn't been apparent in recent seasons.
Guardiola has complicated matters somewhat with some strange team selections and given the way in which they were regularly picked off on the counter by Spurs, Arsenal should be relishing their chances in Wednesday's title showdown at the Emirates.
The Gunners have a five-point cushion with a game in hand heading into the weekend and their advantage could look even more insurmountable come full-time in north London on Wednesday.
Joe Casey - Arsenal
Manchester City don't have their usual sharpness and their squad depth is significantly worse than it was 12 months ago, while some of Pep Guardiola's selection decisions have been baffling and it looks like a number of senior players are firmly out of favour.
By contrast, Mikel Arteta has instilled an all-or-nothing mindset in his Arsenal squad.
Gabriel Jesus is still to return from injury and the Gunners have the boost of a game in hand on City, so everything points to them ending their long wait to be crowned champions again.
Dan Childs - Arsenal
The race could go down to the wire with both Arsenal and Manchester City showing signs of vulnerability, but a five-point lead and an extra game is a big advantage at this stage and I think the Gunners may get over the line.
City will be targeting maximum points from the games against Arsenal to get the back into contention but a failure to win either of those fixtures could leave them with too much to do.
Stephen Davies - Arsenal
There's been this natural presumption – because it usually happens – that City will go on one of their runs, but I can't see it.
Not with Nathan Ake at left-back. That's not picking on Ake by the way, just illustrative of one of several areas where City haven't improved this season, while at the same time Arsenal have.
And they have improved to such an extent that they will win the league. I don't even think it will go to the wire.
Liam Flin - Arsenal
Manchester City's failure to capitalise on Arsenal's loss at Everton emphasised they are not the cold-blooded juggernauts they have been in recent seasons and the Gunners are the best title bet.
Arsenal's psychological resolve under Mikel Arteta could be what gets them over the line, while City's off-field issues could yet have a knock-on effect on the team and Pep Guardiola, who has cut a flustered figure for most of the season.
Mark Langdon - Arsenal
I don't have a huge amount of faith in Arsenal but they are definitely looking like the more likely winners. I have been underwhelmed by Manchester City for most of the season, even before the weird decision to loan out Joao Cancelo to a major Champions League rival in Bayern Munich.
Pep Guardiola picked a joke of a team for the trip to Tottenham last week - starting Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench was asking for trouble - and playing a young right-back in Rico Lewis as a hybrid left-back and central midfielder was just odd. Pep looks angry, Erling Haaland likewise, and I just don't see where this trademark long sequence of wins is going to come from.
James Milton - Arsenal
After a rare setback for Arsenal at Everton, Manchester City's defeat at Tottenham was a huge bonus for the Gunners, who should now be feeling bullish about their chances of claiming the title.
A ninth home win out of ten against Brentford on Saturday would set them up nicely for the clash with City and Mikel Arteta's men, who could easily have won the corresponding fixture against the Citizens last season, still have home fixtures against five of the bottom six this term.
Kevin Pullein - Manchester City
Over the rest of the season will Arsenal play as well by their standards or will Manchester City play as badly by their standards? If either or both of those things happen Arsenal should be champions. If City play better and Arsenal not so well, the title could go either way. I still think that is the most likely scenario and would rather be a backer of City.
Chris Rivers - Manchester City
From a value standpoint, backing Manchester City makes sense at this point given they were sent off as odds-on favourites for the title and are now the biggest price they’ve been all season to retain their crown.
Recent performances have been well off the mark but City’s stronger, deeper squad still has plenty of games to reel in Arsenal, while the charges handed down by the Premier League earlier this week could create a galvanising, siege mentality at the Etihad for the remainder of the season.
Ian Wilkerson - Arsenal
This season reminds me of the one when Leicester took the title as Liverpool and Manchester City are not cutting the mustard and Arsenal have come in to fill the void. The Foxes were expected to fade but never did and I can see it happening again.
I'm pretty confident that Arsenal will hold on and they probably deserve to. They have been the most consistent team and have filled their team with square pegs for square holes. Life doesn't seem jolly at City and while they have a squad capable of steamrolling their way through the rest of the season, I just don't think they are going to close the gap this time and I wouldn't be surprised if Pep Guardiola decided to cash his chips.
