Mikel Arteta decision has impacted Arsenal and Martin Odegaard – now I can only dream Liverpool and Man City drop points in title race
Now at the halfway point of the Premier League season, it’s the perfect time to take stock of the title race.
Manchester City have returned from their Club World Cup winning heroics to rack up victories against Everton and Sheffield United, completing the first 19 games of their title defence.
Ahead of them with a game more played are surprise package Aston Villa, and their long-time sparring partners Liverpool.
The Reds finished 2023 top of the league courtesy of a 2-0 win over Burnley, but on Christmas day, the story was very different.
Arsenal were instead league leaders on the 25th, after a 1-1 draw with Jurgen Klopp’s side, but back-to-back defeats against West Ham and Fulham dropped them to fourth, and left huge doubts over their title chances.
With all considered, talkSPORT’s football correspondent Mark Goldbridge has taken a look at the lay of the land, and given his views on how the title race could end up...
“It’s been a bit of a surprise with Arsenal. They were top at Christmas and now they’re fourth. It’s a bit of a reality bite.
“I watched both games against West Ham and Fulham and both games they deserved to lose. For the first time in a long time Arteta actually acknowledged that without blaming decisions that didn’t go their way.
“I’ve never been comfortable with the [Kai] Havertz signing, I don’t think the balance of the midfield is correct I think it’s had an impact on [Martin] Odegaard and I think Arsenal would be a better team if they had a box-to-box number eight next to Declan Rice giving Odegaard the freedom to be the number ten.
“I also think they lack a striker, [Gabriel] Jesus runs hot and cold and [Eddie] Nketiah wouldn’t start for a team like Everton or Crystal Palace, so he’s not a good enough
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