MANCHESTER CITY hero Shay Given insists Arsenal can’t be ruled out of the Premier League title hunt.
The Gunners are flying high in the table with two points separating them from second-placed City thanks to a remarkable consistency that has seen them win 11 out of their first 13 matches.
Given, 46, believes the North Londoners’ decision to give “complete control” to manager Mikel Arteta is a main reason behind the club’s stunning comeback after a turbulent campaign last season.
The legendary goalkeeper also argued that Arteta has learned a lot from City boss and mentor Pep Guardiola, with whom he worked at the Etihad for three years before joining Arsenal in 2019.
The former Ireland international added that the signings of two proven winners in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from his previous club have proven to be a major difference maker.
Speaking to Mega Casino, Given said when asked if Arsenal can win the title: “I hope not. Arsenal are top of the league at the moment and I think people think that it is a foregone conclusion that City will climb above them at some stage.
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“I think that Arteta has done a phenomenal job at Arsenal and you also need to praise the ownership at the club for sticking by him. Twelve months ago he was under a lot of pressure, he had the [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang issues to resolve.
“I think the club has given him complete control and he has shown himself to be a fantastic leader and manager. He obviously learned from Pep, the best in the world, and now Arsenal and Arteta are getting their rewards.
“There is a real togetherness on and off the pitch between the players and the fans, they are right behind their team and the Emirates has turned into a fortress for them. You can’t rule Arsenal out. They are definitely in for the title now.
“Signing Jesus and Zinchenko was a brilliant move from Arteta, and I think Pep did him a favour on the transfer fees for both of them. Two Premier League winners coming into the team, that would have helped this young Arsenal side too.”
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But Given still appears to like City’s chances as he has high hopes of star signing Erling Haaland, who has already registered a staggering 18 goals in 12 Premier League matches.
The Newcastle great is so impressed with Haaland he expects him to break every record, including that of Alan Shearer’s historic 260 Prem goals, and could even lead the Citizens to Champions League glory.
Given added: “We obviously knew all about Haaland’s record before he came to the Premier League, and I think people dismissed the fact that he would keep scoring at the rate he has done in Germany in England.
“To do what he has done in his first few months in the Premier League is unbelievable. The records that he has already broken in the Premier League tell you that he is the real deal.
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“I’ve been going to a lot of the City games this season because I live in Manchester and when he came off the bench on Saturday [against Fulham], you could feel the anticipation for him from the crowd.
“In 20 minutes he had one disallowed and three or four chances before he scored the last minute penalty. The opposition were worried about him. He has that fear factor about him and he is hungry for goals.
“People say he doesn’t get involved in the build-up, but he doesn’t need to; he just needs to be in the right place at the right time.
“He is an absolute superstar and I think he will break every record in the Premier League, not just Shearer’s. I think he could be the missing pieces of the puzzle for the Champions League too.”
Given spent nine years with Shearer at Newcastle and sees plenty of similarities between him and Haaland as they are both “so clinical”.
The Irish legend said: “They are both so clinical. When a chance presents itself to these guys, a calmness comes over them and you know that they will score. They were born to score goals.
“Both players have the killer instinct. Their movement is incredible and they put themselves into areas where they have the best possible chance of scoring a goal. They were both born to score goals.”
Given also likes Newcastle’s chances under Eddie Howe as he claims he is the right man to soon lead the club to its first title since 1927 amid an impressive season that has seen the Toon climb up to third place.
The former goalkeeper is surprised by the Magpies’ progress as he didn’t expect the former relegation strugglers to challenge for a top-four finish so soon after last year’s Saudi-led takeover.
Given said: “Why can’t he win the title with the club? When he first got the job, people were saying that he would be a short term option.
“I think many people expected him to steady the ship for a season or two because Newcastle were in big trouble when he went in there, but he’s done that and more.
“I think the board will be thinking that they have the right guy in charge and that he should lead the club on this journey for a number of years. Newcastle need to take things step by step.
“If Newcastle can finish in the Champions League places this season it would be a phenomenal achievement and the next step on from that would be to challenge for the Premier League title.
“The owners probably didn’t expect to be challenging for the top four so quickly. I think they would have considered a top half finish a step in the right direction.
“Somebody asked me at the start of the season if Newcastle could finish in the top four. At the time, I thought it was too soon and it still might be, but as every game goes by and the results keep coming it is hard not to get carried away because they are playing so well and the city is rocking again.
“They need to keep the momentum going and see where they end up. It will be interesting to see what happens in January. Will they bring in a couple more to help push them towards the top of the table?
“I think it is a real opportunity for them to do that. If Eddie wants a little bit more quality in certain areas of the team and they can do that, the owners will do it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
