Reason Why Arsenal Remain EPL Title Favourites Despite Newcastle Defeat, According to Expert

• Arsenal have endured a tough start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, suffering their second loss over the weekend
• The Gunners, currently in fifth spot, trail reigning champions Man City by five points and league leaders Liverpool by seven
• However, they have been backed to mount a Premier League challenge to end their two-decade title drought

Arsenal’s hopes of lifting the Premier League trophy are slipping away almost every match day.

Having narrowly missed out on the title in the past two seasons, the Gunners have been chasing a first league victory since their invincible 2003/04 campaign.

Entering this season as strong contenders alongside Manchester City, Arsenal has stumbled on multiple occasions, as noted by ESPN, raising questions about their capacity to maintain a title push.

How many points does Arsenal have now?

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Following a recent setback against Newcastle United, Mikel Arteta's squad is currently in fifth place with 18 points, five behind City and seven off leaders Liverpool, per Sporting News.

Arsenal backed for EPL title charge

Despite their struggles, Briefly News spoke with Ghanaian sports journalist Owoahene Bright Pascal, who still sees promise in Arsenal’s pursuit of the title.

"Despite Arsenal suffering from the Newcastle disease today, they cannot be overlooked in terms of mentioning contenders for the 2024/2025 Premier League,” he remarked.

“We know very well that the title is decided from January when the second round begins. This is where teams ensure their top players are fit and ready, and the intensity is massive."

Addressing Arsenal's deficiencies, Pascal pointed out,

“Their defence has been porous this season, with costly blunders leading to goals. However, one thing I admire about Arsenal is their mentality. Even when struggling to regain control, they remain relentless.

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"They’re a tenacious squad, with young players who are fearless on the ball.”

Under Arteta's guidance, Arsenal has consistently edged closer to Premier League glory, though they’ve been overshadowed by Man City’s dominance.

Pascal noted, “Just last season, City slipped, and Arsenal found themselves at the top but couldn’t hold their position as City ramped up their performances.”

With 28 games remaining, Pascal believes it’s premature to rule Arsenal out.

“It's too early to write them off,” he said. “They could surprise everyone and finally bring home the Premier League trophy. Underestimating Arsenal now might be a mistake."

As Arsenal contends with inconsistency and defensive fragility, they will need to harness their resilience and rectify mistakes if they hope to stay in the race and avoid another near miss.

Saka confident about Arsenal's title chances

Meanwhile, Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka is confident about his side's Premier League chances this season after a strong start.

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Saka is brimming with confidence after Arsenal's routine win over Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League game.

United legend mocks Arsenal's title drought

However, Briefly News reported that Manchester United legend Patrice Evra recently took a jab at Arsenal's prolonged Premier League trophy drought.

The Gunners are in pursuit of their first league title since their remarkable 2003/04 Invincibles season.

Although Mikel Arteta’s team has come close over the past two seasons, they ultimately lost out to Manchester City.

Source: YEN.com.gh