15 hours ago
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Arsenal have gone to the top of the Premier League table courtesy of both their and Liverpool’s last two results. The Reds have fallen to back-to-back defeats to both Crystal Palace and Chelsea while the Gunners have managed to beat both Newcastle United and West Ham – two sides who beat Mikel Arteta’s side in the same fixtures during the previous campaign.
The swing in the race has led to plenty suggesting the Gunners are now indeed the favourites to lift the title. The bookies too have since put Arsenal strongly in the lead with Arne Slot’s team having slumped.
However, the question whether this is fair and accurate remains. Therefore, with that said, our football.london writers have given their thoughts on the matter.
Tom Canton
It just seems so early, seven games into the season, for my view, before the campaign began, that both the recent title winners, Liverpool and Manchester City, have now suddenly fallen behind the Gunners. Arsenal failed to beat either of these two and yet still find themselves top of the pile at present.
I think that they perhaps edge it because of the strength of the squad and the fact that despite suffering one or more injuries to players in six of their seven Premier League matches so far, they’ve been able to both swat aside the games they should win while coming very close to big results against their main title rivals.
With Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Piero Hincapie, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus all to come back into the fold and other younger stars only getting better with Viktor Gyokeres also yet to find his feet, the ceiling for what this team can achieve remains very high. Whereas it seems with both Liverpool and City, we might have already seen their limitations which could prove terminal to their title hopes in the long run.
Ryan Taylor
I make Arsenal favourites now, 100 per cent. I fancied the Gunners to win the title at the beginning of the season, and after seven matches, I really feel this is their time.
They've already navigated big away trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and St James' Park, and you wouldn't fancy travelling to either of those grounds late in the season when the run-in begins.
Mikel Arteta has lost key players to injuries and it has barely affected the team's form. The club have put together a wonderful squad, Liverpool look flimsy, and I'm still not convinced Manchester City are the City of old. If they're to launch a serious challenge, that would require Rodri to be back at peak fitness and it's already clear his condition needs to be managed.
Arsenal have the best defence in the country and remain the team to beat in my humble opinion.
Sam Truelove
Arsenal are in an extremely strong position to lift their first Premier League title since 2004. The Gunners' squad is incredibly strong, and Mikel Arteta may not have a better opportunity to win the league than this season.
Liverpool, though, are just as strong. Put simply, either of these two teams, plus Manchester City, could win the league and not many would be surprised. There will be many twists and turns, and the title race could be one of the closest in years.
I believe, ultimately, it will be between Arsenal and Liverpool. The Reds are on somewhat of a wobble at the moment, but will regroup over the international break. Arne Slot's side are just one point behind the Gunners after all.
As for favourites, I give Arsenal and Liverpool an equal chance at the minute. The north Londoners' next handful of fixtures are kinder, however, but as everybody likes to say, there are no easy games in the Premier League.
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