Arsenal have been warned by club legend Robert Pires that as many as five teams could compete for next year's Premier League title, putting added pressure on the Gunners to win this season's crown.
Although Mikel Arteta 's side sit top of the table, Manchester City have it their power to earn their third successive league title should they win all nine of their remaining games - including at potentially title-deciding match at home to Arsenal on April 26. Pires has therefore urged his old team to make the most of their opportunity, as next term will be "much harder."
According to the ex-Arsenal midfielder, both the Gunners and City as well as Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are all capable of mounting a serious challenge in 2024. Pires has also warned Arteta's men of the "added burden" of playing in the Champions League.
"Of course, in the future, teams like Manchester City, Manchester United and even Chelsea and Liverpool will have better financial possibilities to remain competitive at the highest level, that is clear," the two-time Premier League winner admitted. "So next season it will be much harder for Arsenal, especially with the added burden of the Champions League."
As for the current campaign, Pires claims that the Gunners "really deserve" to win the title and reckons that City's focus on winning an allusive Champions League trophy could distract them. "First of all, it's about Arsenal continuing this run and rewarding themselves with the title," the Frenchman, 49, declared, speaking to MyBettingSites.
"They really deserve it. Arsenal would be a fantastic champion. But they need to be able to deal with any minor setback quickly and get right back on the winning track the following game so as not to doubt themselves. Now we have to deliver in this final spurt of the season.
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"It will be anything but easy to stay on top until the end because the pressure will be immense and Manchester City are more experienced to handle the pressure. Nevertheless, I think Arsenal have a good chance of defending their lead until the end, also because City will put everything on the line to finally win the Champions League."
Boss Arteta, meanwhile, is keeping a lid on his excitement, although was asked ahead of Sunday's trip to West Ham whether he'd envisioned being in such a strong position two-and-a-half years into the job. "Yes," the Arsenal manager swiftly replied with a smile. "You go day by day.
"There is so much that happens every single day, every month at a football club. You cannot really look [further ahead]. The aim when I took the job was to bring the club back to where it belongs, fighting for and being around every single trophy that is possible [to win] at the highest level. That’s what we are trying to do."
