Arsenal 'will have to do something miraculous' to win the title, says Jamie Carragher
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has said that Arsenal will need a "miraculous" end to the season if they are to pip Manchester City to the Premier League title. Arsenal had the opportunity to go seven points clear of City at the top of the table but were held to a 3-3 draw by Southampton at the Emirates on Friday night. The result left Arsenal five points ahead of City ahead of their titanic clash at the Etihad on Wednesday.
Carragher, speaking after the game, insisted that Arsenal would need "something miraculous" to win the league title. "Whether the point makes that much difference to Arsenal, I'm not quite sure," he said. "They've probably got to go to Man City and get three points if they want to go on and win the league. It is still in Arsenal's hands, and we keep saying it, and it just shows you how far ahead they were. They've dropped six points in the last three games, and it is still in their hands. They did have a really sizable lead, but they are going to have to do something miraculous now between now and the end of the season."
Gary Neville, also speaking on Sky Sports, added that Arsenal's title hopes were "still alive" but remained slim after the result. "It's not the result they would have wanted before the game, but it is better than they could have hoped for with five or 10 minutes to go," he said. "They are still alive. It's not over yet and still in Arsenal's hands, but they have the huge task of going to the powerhouse that is Manchester City on Wednesday."
The match saw Arsenal fall behind within 25 seconds when Carlos Alcaraz capitalized on a loose ball from Aaron Ramsdale and gave the visitors the lead. Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott then doubled their lead with a neat finish before Gabriel Martinelli fired back shortly after. Southampton then went two goals ahead in the 66th minute after Duje Caleta-Car headed home from a corner, and it seemed as though the Saints had secured a win. But in a dramatic conclusion to the game, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka both scored to salvage a point for the Premier League leaders.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has seen his side drop six points from their last three matches, and he told his players they must win at City if they are to claim the title. "I cannot wait, these are the games you want to play. When everything is at stake you have to go there to win," Arteta said. "It is the beauty of this sport, you want to be in these positions. We will have an incredible trip to Manchester, and we will prepare really well."
While the draw against Southampton has undoubtedly hampered Arsenal's title chances, they are still in a position where they can control their own destiny. The five-point gap between themselves and Manchester City is still surmountable, but the Gunners will need to put in a strong performance at the Etihad if they are to stay in the race for the Premier League trophy. Arsenal has had a good run of form, winning seven consecutive games after losing to City in November, and they will need to replicate that form in the remaining six games of the season to stand a chance of winning the title.
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