Manchester United legend Roy Keane has made the stunning declaration that the Premier League title race is already over, following another commanding week for leaders Arsenal.
Arsenal's Defining Week Solidifies Lead
The Gunners emerged from a potentially season-defining period in formidable shape. Facing a daunting schedule of London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea, plus a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, Mikel Arteta's side passed every test.
They thrashed rivals Tottenham 4-1, defeated German champions Bayern Munich, and secured a 1-1 draw with a Chelsea side in strong form under Enzo Maresca, despite playing against ten men after Moises Caicedo's red card.
Arsenal's brilliant form continued on Wednesday night with a 2-0 victory over Brentford, courtesy of goals from Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka. This result restored their five-point cushion at the summit after Manchester City narrowly beat Fulham 5-4.
Keane's Bombshell Verdict on the Title Race
The win also opened a nine-point gap to Chelsea, who suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to relegation battlers Leeds United. This prompted Keane, a seven-time Premier League winner, to deliver his emphatic verdict.
Speaking on The Overlap alongside Gary Neville and Arsenal icon Ian Wright, Keane stated with confidence: 'The league is over. It's over. The league is over.'
His comments came after Neville told Wright that his former club 'have got to win it' this season, ending their long wait for the crown.
Rival Warnings as Manchester City Lurk
While Keane is convinced, other pundits have issued notes of caution, primarily due to the persistent threat of reigning champions Manchester City.
Jamie Carragher, who has repeatedly backed Arsenal to end their 22-year wait, highlighted City's resilience. 'Your lot [Arsenal] have been so much better than everyone else,' Carragher said. 'But Man City are still there, aren't they? They haven't even played that well but they're still close. There's a long way to go.'
Former Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel also predicted a City fightback, telling talkSPORT: 'I think Man City will catch Arsenal... when it gets to March and April and they're still going in Europe and the FA Cup... Man City has already fallen down they're on the mend.'
Arsenal's mettle faces another immediate test this weekend with a trip to face third-placed Aston Villa, managed by former Gunners boss Unai Emery.
