Kolo Toure believes Arsenal will be feeling the title pressure more than Manchester City because Pep Guardiola's team have won the Premier League before.
The two title rivals face each other in a huge clash at the Etihad on Wednesday night. The Gunners side go into the game five points clear of City at the top of the table having played two games more. Arsenal appear to be cracking under the pressure after failing to win any of their last three outings. City, meanwhile, have won seven consecutive league games.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has told his players to "enjoy" the title race. Although Toure agrees with Arteta, he does accept that title races are nervy affairs.
"When you are in it, you want it to end very quickly, you want every game quick," Toure tells Mirror Football on behalf of BT Sport. "Especially when you are on top. Right now, for Arsenal they want a game to be played every day really, you want to get to the end.
"It doesn't work like that. Before games there are days and, in those days, you keep thinking if we lose the game. Most of the time it can be negative thought. The mind can be crazy for the negative stuff. You think always, 'If we lose, if we lose, if we lose'.
"But the team that are used to winning the title, they don’t think this. Because they have done it before. It is almost like, 'We will do it'. That is why the momentum right now is for City. They have done it before.
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"And now Arsenal have slipped a few times, they feel like, 'Oh my God, they’re catching us'. They are looking behind. When you look behind you, you slow down. City can just keep going. If City go on top because they have been winning, they won’t look behind. They know they have to keep winning."
Arsenal fans are desperate for Arteta's side to win the Premier League title. The Gunners have not been crowned champions of England since May 2004, when Arsene Wenger's iconic team went an entire Premier League season unbeaten.
Yet City know exactly what it's like to win the title. They have lifted the Premier League trophy four times in the last five years, with only Liverpool stopping them in 2020. That's why Guardiola's team are now regarded as the favourites to claim this season's prize.
Toure played for both Arsenal and City during his successful career and refused to say which team he is supporting in the title race. He replied: "Good question. I love football. For me... I played with those two clubs. I had a great time with them. The fans, I have a great relationship with them as well. The best will win, that's it."
Yet Toure accepted: "With the momentum Man City have, they are the favourites right now, in my opinion."
It's Game On for the title. Watch Man City v Arsenal, the biggest game of the season, exclusively live on BT Sport 1 on Wednesday 26th April from 7pm. BT Sport will broadcast all Premier League midweek fixtures from Tuesday 25th to Thursday 27th April. Watch 30 days of BT Sport, contract-free, for £29.99 a month with the BT Sport Monthly Pass. For more info, visit: bt.com/sport/monthly-pass
