Arsene Wenger has backed Arsenal to overcome their blip and beat Manchester City to the Premier League title but knows the meeting between the pair this month could be the 'decider'.
Mikel Arteta's side have stumbled in recent weeks, twice throwing away two goal leads against Liverpool and then West Ham - the latter of which also saw Bukayo Saka miss what would have been a decisive penalty. Doubts have begun to surface as to whether an inexperienced squad can cope with the psychological demands of a title challenge.
Despite this, the Gunners could travel to the Etihad on April 26 with a seven-point gap between them and City, with Pep Guardiola's side in FA Cup action against Sheffield United this weekend while they host Southampton at the Emirates. And Wenger believes that while the title is still in his former side's hands, he believes they can still win it.
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"Arsenal and these players have not been in the position to win the league before," Wenger told beIN Sports. "Hopefully they win it this year and next year it will be easier. But now, when you have never won it, there will be a moment in the season when the tension comes in.
"When you start thinking more about the need to win than the process and how to play, it gets difficult. I felt that at Arsenal when I was there too."
Asked whether City were now favourites to win it, the former Gunners boss added: "No, no, no. I would say Arsenal still. What you want in this position is to have things in your hand. If Arsenal win their games, they win the league so that's an ideal position with a few games to go.
"Of course, Man City have an opportunity when they play Arsenal and that could be the decider in the championship. I still fancy Arsenal, I'm not completely objective here, but I do. We will also have to see how much the Champions League takes out of Man City."
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