Title Race Takes Dramatic Turn as Rivals Stumble
Former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has emphatically ruled his old club out of the Premier League title race following a disastrous weekend for the reigning champions. The dramatic shift in the league landscape occurred after both Liverpool and Manchester City suffered damaging defeats, handing a significant advantage to league leaders Arsenal.
The Gunners, who face Tottenham in the North London derby on Sunday, watched as their two main rivals failed to capitalise on their game in hand. A victory for Mikel Arteta's side would now see them extend their lead at the summit to a commanding six points.
Liverpool's Anfield Collapse and City's Stumble
The defending champions, Liverpool, endured a shocking afternoon at Anfield, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. This result marks a staggering sixth loss in their last seven league outings, a collapse in form that has seen Arne Slot's team plummet into the bottom half of the table. The nature of the performance has inevitably sparked intense speculation over the Dutch manager's future at the club.
Meanwhile, Manchester City squandered a golden opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal. Pep Guardiola's side travelled to St. James' Park and were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United, with Harvey Barnes's second-half brace sealing the victory for the Magpies. This defeat follows a recent loss to Aston Villa, raising questions about City's consistency away from home.
Redknapp's Verdict: A Three-Horse Race No More
Analysing the fallout on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp was unequivocal in his assessment of Liverpool's title hopes. "Yeah look we can forget Liverpool," he stated. "They cannot win the Premier League this year. They’re too far gone, confidence is too low, that’ll be a miracle if they did it."
Redknapp now believes the genuine challenge to Arsenal will come from only two directions. With Chelsea securing a routine 2-0 win over Burnley, he identified them and Manchester City as the remaining contenders, but with a significant caveat for the latter.
He expressed doubts about City's ability to replicate the relentless winning runs of previous seasons, pointing to their recent away form. "When they were the team that we all admired... they would go there and win and find a way, but right now, I just don’t think that’s possible," Redknapp added.
In contrast, he heaped praise on the league leaders, declaring Arsenal as "by far the best team" with the strongest squad and organisation. He concluded that if the Gunners fail to win the league from their current position, they will have missed a golden opportunity that this season's chasing pack seems ill-equipped to exploit.
