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Alan Shearer has identified Manchester City as Arsenal's primary threat in the race for the Premier League title, dismissing Gary Lineker's suggestion that second-placed Chelsea should be considered a serious contender.
Mikel Arteta's Gunners extended their lead at the summit of the Premier League to six points following a commanding 4-1 victory over Tottenham in Sunday's North London derby. Arsenal dominated proceedings at the Emirates, with Leandro Trossard breaking the deadlock before Eberechi Eze netted an impressive hat-trick.
The result proved even more significant after Manchester City's defeat at Newcastle on Saturday, leaving the Gunners seven points ahead of Pep Guardiola's team and six clear of Chelsea, who climbed to second place after defeating Burnley 2-0.
Meanwhile, Liverpool's title defence suffered another setback as the reigning champion dropped to 11th position following a 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
During a discussion on the Rest Is Football podcast about Arsenal's main challengers, Lineker suggested Chelsea could emerge as a genuine title contender after securing five victories in its last six league fixtures.
However, Shearer firmly rejected this notion, insisting City remain the most dangerous opposition to Arsenal's championship ambitions this campaign.
Shearer said: "I'd still say City because we've seen City after Christmas do it, they are used to it, they can do it, and we know that.
"It's different because defensively they are not as good as they have been, but because they have been there and know what to expect, I would still say it would be Man City."
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards echoed Shearer's sentiments, stating: "I would say Man City as well, but Chelsea can beat anyone on their day.
"I think they can put in some really good performances, as we saw at the Club World Cup. But I don't think they have enough at the moment to go all the way, but they are improving."
The Gunners have been in exceptional form since their defeat to Liverpool in August. They have secured 13 wins and two draws from their past 15 matches in all competitions.
Seven of those triumphs have come in the Premier League, propelling them to a commanding position at the summit of the table.
Reflecting on his team's place at the top of the Premier League standings, Arteta commented after the Tottenham match: "We are doing really well, we've been really consistent, and that's it. I mean, when you look at the results, whether they win or lose, the difference in the scoreline and actually what happens in games is really small. We know that.
"We need players back immediately today. We've got Noni back on the pitch, which is great, but we're still missing a lot, a lot of important players, and we're going to need all of them. The good news is we lost big Gabi, which is a massive blow, and Piero [Hincapie] comes in, and I think he was fantastic from the beginning."
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