Former Chelsea Star Identifies Arsenal's Single Weakness
Former England and Chelsea winger Joe Cole has made a bold prediction, stating that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are poised to 'run away' with the Premier League title this season. The Gunners have built a formidable six-point lead at the summit after a stunning start to the campaign, winning eight of their first ten matches and securing five consecutive league victories.
Defensive Fortress Drives Arsenal's Charge
While only Manchester City have outscored them, Arsenal's success has been fundamentally built on a remarkable defensive record. The team has kept an impressive eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions, drawing comparisons to some of the most resilient sides in Premier League history. Cole even likened their strength to the legendary Chelsea teams of the mid-2000s, stating: 'I don’t think I’ve seen a team as strong defensively since probably our Chelsea team.'
This solidity, combined with a summer spending spree of over £250million on eight new players, has created a squad with immense depth. Even with key attackers like Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz currently sidelined, the North London club continues to dominate.
The One Thing That Could Derail the Title Dream
Despite the overwhelming positivity, Cole pinpointed one critical vulnerability. He warned that a serious injury to either William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes represents the primary threat to Arsenal's championship ambitions. 'I can’t see any chinks in their armour,' Cole told Paddy Power. 'The only possible thing that could stop them would be Saliba and, or, Gabriel being injured for a significant period of the season.'
However, the pundit was quick to acknowledge the quality in reserve, name-checking Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori as evidence of the squad's strength, concluding: 'They’re too strong.'
Manager Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has pushed back against any suggestion that the title is already secured. Speaking ahead of his side's trip to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, the Spaniard insisted: 'No, I don’t agree, sorry, because any team has the capacity and I’m sure the belief as well that they can do it. We are fully aware of that.' A win against Sunderland could see Arsenal temporarily extend their lead to nine points, piling pressure on rivals Manchester City and Liverpool before their crucial Sunday clash.
