Michael Owen has suggested that the Premier League trophy is now Arsenal’s to lose, following a weekend of results that saw the Gunners extend their lead at the summit of the table. Mikel Arteta’s side moved nine points clear of their closest challengers, Manchester City, after securing a 2–0 victory over Everton at the Emirates Stadium. The gap was further solidified just hours later when the defending champions were held to a 1–1 draw by West Ham United at the London Stadium, despite Pep Guardiola’s men still holding a game in hand.
While a mathematical possibility remains for a shift in the standings, the former England international believes the momentum has swung decisively in favor of North London. Owen posited that the current nine-point margin, combined with City’s recent inconsistency, has made the path to a fourth consecutive title for the Manchester club increasingly improbable.
Offering his analysis to Premier League Productions, Owen characterized the race as effectively over:
“It’s virtually done and dusted. Let’s assume that they beat Arsenal at the Etihad – they have to do that – and they win their game in hand, the gap becomes three points. The question is: can Arsenal drop three points in any of their games? Yes, they can. So it’s not absolutely over. But will Man City win all their games? The answer is no. They are not good enough. I also can’t see Arsenal losing to Man City.”
Owen’s assessment centers on the belief that Manchester City currently lacks the “clinical edge” required to produce a perfect run-in. With the two title rivals scheduled to face off at the Etihad in mid-April, the match is being framed as a “must-win” for City to keep the race alive. However, with Arsenal’s defensive stability and a healthy goal difference cushion, the consensus among many pundits—including Owen—is that the Gunners have established a insurmountable psychological and mathematical advantage.
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