Jamie Carragher has backed Arsenal to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title after both teams suffered setbacks this weekend.
Premier League leaders Arsenal appeared to suffer a costly defeat to relegation-battlers Everton on Saturday, but title rivals Man City were unable to capitalise as they lost to Tottenham.
The results mean Arsenal – bidding to win the title for the first time since 2004 – remain five points ahead of defending champions Manchester City with a game in hand.
‘There’s still a long way to go but you’re almost waiting for Manchester City to kick in and to be the Man City we know so well,’ Carragher told Sky Sports when asked about the title rivals.
‘It just feels like this might be the season where they’re not quite themselves, for lots of different reasons. It’s not the Man City of old.
‘This idea that they’re going to do what they’ve done to Liverpool a couple of times in the title race, I’m not sure it will happen.
‘It feels like a different Manchester City that we’re watching right now.’
The former Liverpool and England defender added: ‘There’s so long to go. Neither team should panic. There will be a lot of ups and downs.
‘But I do think Arsenal have the edge, because they’ve been the most impressive team so far. We’re still waiting to see the real Man City but it’s not quite happening for them.
‘The two games between those teams are massive but I fancy Arsenal right now.’
Arsenal have enjoyed a sensational season but slipped up at Goodison Park earlier in the weekend as Sean Dyche enjoyed the perfect start to his tenure as Everton manager.
A Manchester City win against Tottenham would have seen the gap at the top of the table cut to just two points but Harry Kane’s record-breaking goal saw City succumb to a deflating defeat.
Reacting to Man City’s loss, Pep Guardiola said: ‘We started really well, they didn’t cross halfway, or just once and we concede a goal, like happened two weeks ago.
‘A well organised team, physical, we can’t expect to create a lot of chances. When we lose balls in transitions it is more difficult.
‘We created chances but it was difficult. Most of the time to come here, we are not able to win the game – it is not easy to play them and these type of games we have to try and do the situation. The intention is there.’
Asked if it was an opportunity missed following Arsenal’s second defeat of the season, Guardiola added: ‘It is football. Arsenal drop points and there was a good opportunity but we knew how difficult it was in this stadium.’
MORE : Man City a lesser team with Erling Haaland, believes Jamie Carragher
MORE : Kyle Walker warns Arsenal over ‘twists and turns’ in Premier League title race
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