Chelsea hero Eidur Gudjohnsen makes bold title prediction after Arsenal defeat

Eidur Gudjohnsen has confidently backed Manchester City to go on and win the title this season, claiming Arsenal have ‘already lost the league’.

Arsenal entered last weekend’s action with an imperious nine-point advantage over Manchester City at the summit after four straight wins in the top flight.

But the Gunners’ league form does not paint the full picture of their recent performances, with Mikel Arteta’s men seeing their quadruple hopes go up in smoke with defeat to Manchester City in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

Just six days later, Arsenal suffered another major setback as they were denied a place in the FA Cup semi-finals by Championship outfit Southampton following a rudderless display at St Mary’s.

City – who have a game in hand over Arsenal – made light work of Chelsea 24 hours later to move to within six points of the leaders ahead of the sides’ eagerly anticipated showdown at the Etihad this coming Sunday.

And while Arsenal’s fate remains in their hands, ex-Chelsea forward Gudjohnsen cannot see Arteta’s side bouncing back after what has been a gruelling few weeks for the club.

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‘Even the fans are going, “What can we do?

How can we stop this?”… I think they’ve already lost the league.

We’re here to say our opinions,’ Gudjohnsen said of Arsenal on The Dressing Room Podcast.

‘In the end, it’s still in their own hands.

They have to go to Man City, get a result, and if they get a win then it’ll be huge.

‘I just don’t see it happening.

The way Man City played in the second half at Stamford Bridge, I felt I was watching the best team in the Premier League by far.

‘Just the ability to move the ball around, the physical part of it.

They’re all so strong.

Jeremy Doku, how strong he is!

People just fall off him.

When you see Antoine Semenyo run, he just eats the pitch up.’

According to Gudjohnsen, the vast majority of Chelsea’s fanbase will not have been too upset to see their team lose to City given the potential impact the result could have on Arsenal’s title hopes.

He added: ‘I had that feeling during the match: I want Chelsea to be in the Champions League but I don’t want Arsenal to win the league.

‘I think if you speak to 80 per cent of the fans… I’d even go as far as nearly 100 per cent of Chelsea fans would go, “I’d sacrifice today just so Arsenal don’t win it”, it’s strange.’
Turning his attentions to Chelsea, Gudjohnsen was left massively disheartened by the lack of ‘personality’ and ‘character’ he witnessed in the side’s defeat to City.

‘If you see Manchester City in the March and April periods for the last seven or eight years, they always seem to be at their best and the exact opposite is happening with Arsenal,’ the former Iceland international explained.

‘Unfortunately, you can’t compare Chelsea to Manchester City now, but we should be comparing them because they’re similar size clubs, we expect Chelsea to be up there.

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Which club is more likely to win the title this season?

• Arsenal

• Manchester City

And you look at Man City’s bench and you look at Chelsea’s bench, you can put whoever on for Chelsea but it’s not going to make a difference, they’re all the same.

‘They’re all the same age, no one stands out, as in huge character.

It’s just bland.’
Despite Arsenal’s poor form, Guardiola was adamant that his City side could not afford to rest on their laurels when facing the media on Sunday – a week out from the sides’ meeting at the Etihad.

‘We have done a good three games, but the best team in England so far is Arsenal, the best team in Europe so far is Arsenal because the numbers are there, the consistency they have,’ the Spaniard told reporters.

‘Prepare well this week, suggest what they will adjust compared to the Carabao Cup final and what we have to do with our people to try to perform well because it is what defines teams, how you play.

‘The Champions League is a completely different competition.

In October, November to January and February, if you don’t grow as a team and the way you play, you don’t win.

‘We have to insist to play better and better.’
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