The tension is mounting in the Premier League title race, with Arsenal currently holding a six-point lead over Manchester City. But former Arsenal striker Alan Smith harbors a growing unease, fearing a resurgence from the reigning champions.
Smith specifically points to City’s recent activity in the transfer market as a cause for concern. The arrival of winger Antoine Semenyo, coupled with strong rumors linking City to Crystal Palace’s highly-rated defender Marc Guehi, could dramatically shift the balance of power.
“It’s enough at the moment, but there’s still a lot of games to be played,” Smith cautioned. He believes that bolstering their squad with these additions would make City a significantly more formidable opponent, potentially erasing Arsenal’s current advantage.
Currently, Smith believes Arsenal’s squad holds the edge over City’s. However, he worries about the psychological impact if City closes the gap in the final stretch of the season. Can Arsenal withstand that intense pressure?
The question of Arsenal’s goalscoring prowess is also raising eyebrows. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson is skeptical about whether Arsenal possesses a truly natural finisher to consistently deliver when the stakes are highest.
Merson’s concerns center around Viktor Gyokeres, the new signing expected to fill that crucial role. Despite his potential, Gyokeres has struggled to make a significant impact, offering little in recent matches, including a particularly ineffective performance against Liverpool where he was substituted after just 64 minutes.
Gary Neville didn’t mince words, describing Gyokeres’ performance as “really poor,” highlighting his lack of involvement and overall ineffectiveness. The worry is that in those nerve-wracking final games, Arsenal might lack a player capable of conjuring a goal from nothing.
Both Arsenal and Manchester City face FA Cup third-round challenges this weekend, offering a brief respite from the league battle against lower-league opposition. But the looming threat of a title race remains, and the coming months will reveal whether Arsenal can maintain their lead or if City will once again assert their dominance.
