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The Reds icon has backed Mikel Arteta’s side to finally supplant Manchester City if one player sustains his late-season form.
Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol believes Arsenal have a shot at winning next season’s Premier League title, with Manchester City unlikely to win a fifth title in succession.
Pep Guardiola’s men have claimed four consecutive top-flight successes, pipping the Gunners to the post in the previous two campaigns, with last season’s thrilling title race going down to the wire.
Nicol does not expect Guardiola’s side to notch another, as he expects motivation levels in Manchester to dip while Arsenal’s desire keeps growing.
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The erstwhile Liverpool defender also believes Kai Havertz sustaining the form shown at the backend of last season could be pivotal for the North London side.
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What Nicol said about Havertz
Havertz was under fire for the first half of his debut season in North London, with Arteta’s midfield experiment failing to bear fruit. However, moving the Germany international into a forward role saw the former Chelsea player thrive at the club.
The 25-year-old ended year one with 13 goals and seven assists in the league, surpassing every season at Stamford Bridge, making him one of Arteta's most influential forwards.
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With uncertainty surrounding Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, Nicol expects Havertz to be a vital cog in any title challenge if Arsenal do not add to their centre-forward position this summer.
“I think this is the year, Man City broke all records by winning it four times on the trot last year,” said the Liverpool icon on ESPN. “But five times on the trot? Everything is against that.
“The one question would be the Havertz situation. But the truth is second part of the season he came up trumps, he came up big time scoring goals.
“If he can do that again then Arsenal are the team to knock City off their perch.”
What comes next?
Havertz recently tied the knot after Euro 2024 duty with Germany, in which the hosts exited to eventual champions Spain in the quarter-final.
Arsenal begin their Premier League aspirations on August 17 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium.
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