Stan Collymore has backed Manchester United or Tottenham to beat Arsenal to the fourth and final Champions League spot this season.
And so confident is the former Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Aston Villa star that he has promised to put a photo of himself wearing a Gunners shirt with Mikel Arteta’s name on the back of it on social media if they prove him wrong.
Mirror columnist Collymore has regularly criticised the Gunners in recent years for lacking the bottle and character that the biggest and best teams need. For being too nice.
And even though they are in the box seat in fourth — three points clear of Spurs and four in front of United, and with a game in hand of both — he still isn’t convinced they have what it takes to qualify for Europe’s top club competition next season.
Collymore said: “Arsenal, this is it. This is the run-in, this is where we get down to business, and it’s time now for Mikel Arteta and the boys to ram everything I’ve said about them again this season firmly back down my throat.
"They’re in pole position, their youngsters are absolutely thriving and they’re playing quality, on-the-front-foot, attacking football.
“But they have also been dross against the very best and let’s see what that means in the shake-up. They still have some decent teams to play, they’re up against Tottenham and Manchester United for that fourth and final Champions League spot, and both of those other clubs will be quite happy for Arsenal to be talked about in column inches with everyone raving about how great they are.
“I’m going for United or Spurs to pip them to the post, though, with Arsenal to choke in the run-in. And if they can prove me wrong, I will quite happily wear an Arsenal shirt with ‘Arteta 8’ on the back and post a picture of it on the last day of the season. So come on, Gunners, bring it on.”
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Arteta’s men won six of their last seven games coming into the international break. But only one of those fixtures was against a traditional ‘Big Six’ side — and that was the one they lost, 2-0, to Liverpool.
In their remaining 10 games, they still have to face third-place Chelsea, United and a West Ham side still hoping to quality for Europe. And before that, they take on the Crystal Palace side of Arsenal midfield legend Patrick Vieira, who will be determined to get one over his old side.
The Gunners have not qualified for the Champions League since the 2016-17 season. But Arteta believes the bond between the players and the club's fans can drive them on to qualify this year.
He said recently "You can see the connection they have. It is phenomenal to watch. If you want to be a top team, you have to win home and away. We are doing that consistently and we have to continue. We really want [the top four] and we are going to give it a go."
