Former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has spoken about Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League and named two players who could hinder their quest for the title.
Mikel Arteta’s side came close to winning the crown last season, taking the title race to the final game. This has given their fans hope that this could be their year, reminiscent of how Liverpool won the title in 2020 after narrowly missing out in 2019.
Manchester City has been the dominant team in England for several seasons, and the Citizens are expected to continue their winning ways this term. However, Arsenal is now seen as the new Liverpool to Pep Guardiola’s side, potentially poised for a breakthrough if they make the necessary improvements.
Despite the optimism, Hislop believes it will be challenging for Arsenal to be champions if they rely heavily on Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
He told ESPN as quoted by the Daily Mail: ‘It really comes down to Arsenal’s attacking options. While Havertz popped up at times, popped up at key moments in key games with goals, I am just not sold on Havertz as a striker to lead a team to win the Premier League.
‘I feel the same about Gabriel Jesus, who I thought started wonderfully well when he first joined Arsenal. But because of injuries it waned.
‘There is still that department to be addressed. Mikel Arteta is right, margins are really thin, especially when you consider just how good Manchester City continue to be.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
Havertz and Jesus are two key men for us, and replacing them will not be easy.