FORMER Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the club have not reached the level to be considered English Premier League title favourites over Manchester City.
The Gunners earned their first Premier League win in eight years over the champions on Sunday with a 1-0 result at the Emirates Stadium and some of their excited fans felt it might be the turning point in their quest to win the title for the first time since 2004.
However Keown, a key member of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ that went unbeaten while winning that 2004 title, is not getting carried away.
Arsenal led the league for most of last season before being beaten to the title by Pep Guardiola’s side in the final weeks of the season.
When asked by talkSport if Arsenal have closed the gap on City, Keown said: “Yes, but there’s a long way to go.
“Man City are in a period where they’re playing six away games in their next seven, or currently in that, not doing particularly well and losing games that you’d never believe they were going to lose.
“That invincibility has slipped away a little bit but we know Pep’s capable of going on fantastic runs but they’re going to have to respond now.”
Asked if Arsenal are now favourites, Keown said: “No, Man City are favourites.
“Two seasons in a row they’ve managed to win as many as 32 games and last season they won 44 matches.
“This is a remarkable team and Pep said, quite loosely, ‘we’ll get this right and go on a run’, but I wonder if they really believe that right now.
“It’s kind of a work in progress for Arsenal at the moment.”
City, who won the unique Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League Treble last season, have endured a difficult spell in recent weeks, losing back-to-back Premier League matches to Wolves and Arsenal, and getting knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United.
Still, Arsenal great Keown is wary of their ability to bounce back and hit a purple patch.
“We’re not talking about any ordinary team in Man City, we’re talking about a team who are conquering Europe right now.
“It was very important that Arsenal won that game. When you’re up against your immediate opponent for the Premier League it’s important that you experience that winning feeling against them.
“Erling Haaland now knows that they’re very difficult opponents when he plays Arsenal now but Man City didn’t really control things.
“Normally Pep’s side boss the midfield and he can make the changes in wide positions but he’s having to dig quite deep at the moment from a tactical point of view.
“It’s too early to say if Arsenal can romp away and win the league.
“They’re a work in progress – they’re building, that’s what that means. They’re in the race on Tottenham’s shoulder.”
