Owen claims Arsenal are the ‘third-best team’ in Premier League despite being title ‘favourites’
Michael Owen thinks Arsenal are still the “third-best team” in the Premier League despite leading Manchester City and Liverpool in the title race.
The Gunners’ ten-match winning run in all competitions came to an end at the Stadium of Light on Saturday as Sunderland held them to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League.
Arsenal are still top of the Premier League but second-placed Manchester City have closed the gap on them to four points, while they managed to extend their lead on defending champions Liverpool – who are eighth in the table – to eight points.
Despite the Gunners’ start to the season and the impressive squad that Mikel Arteta has managed to assemble at the Emirates Stadium, former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Owen insists that Arsenal “are still probably the third-best team” in the league.
Owen said on Premier League Productions: “Arsenal’s strength is their defence. They’ve got a great goalkeeper and a really good back-four which is protected really well.
“They play to their strengths and don’t concede many goals so for a newly-promoted team [Sunderland] to score two against them is a brilliant achievement.”
When asked if the Premier League title is now Arsenal’s to lose this season, Owen replied: “Possibly… they are a fair few points ahead.
“You ask anybody and they’ll probably say Arsenal are the favourites at the minute so it’s going to take a good effort to beat them.
“I can’t see them dropping too many points because they’re very efficient. Leading the race brings it’s own pressure but the way they play, they’re so efficient.
“If Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool all play at their very, very best, I think Arsenal are still probably the third-best team.
“When everyone is at their absolute best, Liverpool can blow anyone off the pitch and so can Man City.
“With Arsenal it’s about not making many mistakes, I can see them grinding away, maybe having a few draws. Their style of play might just make them plug on all the way and make them hard to beat.
“When Liverpool or Man City win, they play really well and can win by four of five goals. But if Liverpool play poorly they get beat.
“With Arsenal you get the sense they can still play badly and grind out a win or a draw. That might just play in their favour this season but there’s a long, long way to go.”
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But Jamie Carragher reckons Arsenal are definitely the best team he has seen this season despite the Gunners getting “nervous” with Manchester City just behind them.
Carragher told Sky Sports: “I think Arsenal will be nervous because it’s Man City. They’ve done this before.
“Twice in the last three years Man City have caught Arsenal. [Arsenal] are probably getting a few flashbacks of when they lost the title in previous years. It might be a long two weeks.
“I still think Arsenal are the best team I’ve seen this season. But there’s an awfully long way to go.
“Given how long it’s been since they won the title, there’s no doubt that everyone at Arsenal will get a bit twitchy if they’re top come the second half of the season.
