Two Premier League records already broken this season as Arsenal get new warning
The top flight finished for the international break with an epic 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge between Chelsea and Manchester City.
It returns on Saturday lunchtime with a mouth-watering prospect as the top two, and the only teams to have won the league in the past six seasons, clash at the Etihad as defending champions City welcome resurgent Liverpool, with only a point separating the sides.
Add to that that the next three teams in the league - Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa - are all within three points of the leaders and the Premier League has genuine hope at a third of the way through the season of there being a proper title race. Each of those five is scoring at a rate of at least two goals per game and the overall goals in the division - 370 in 120 games - means an average of 3.08 goals per game so far. In 32 seasons, the Premier League has never finished with an average of as high as three per game.
The entertainment factor is further highlighted by the fact that in those 120 games, there have been just three goalless draws.
If it is a competitive race right through until May 19 that fans want, then consider this - for the first time in Premier League history, as many as five teams have reached at least 25 points after 12 games, the first time that has happened.
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And only three points separate those five - Manchester City lead the way on 28, Liverpool and Arsenal are breathing down their necks on 27, Tottenham are right behind at 26 and Villa complete the quintet on 25.
However, while the race may seem different this season, there is something of a predictable look to who is leading the way in the race for the Golden Boot, with City’s Erling Haaland on 13 and Mohamed Salah at Liverpool with 10.
And it is that ability to rely on world-class strikers that former Arsenal and Chelsea defender, William Gallas, believes gives those two the edge and almost certainly relegates Arsenal to be chasers rather than champions.
“Manchester City and Liverpool each have a player that guarantee a certain number of goals,” said Gallas. “Haaland will get 30 goals. Salah will get 25. Arsenal don’t have a player in their squad that guarantees a minimum of 20-30 goals each season.
There is a lot of pressure on Bukayo Saka to score regularly for Arsenal"Bukayo Saka looks like he could be Arsenal’s most dangerous player. It looks like Arsenal are going to share the goals among their players. When Arsenal are playing well, everyone can score goals, but they don’t have a striker that you could put in the same category as Haaland or Salah.
“That’s why I urged Arsenal to sign a striker with a different profile last season. Nothing has changed and that is why I don’t think Arsenal will win the title this season.”
While Haaland and Salah lead the way here, England also have great scoring representation abroad, with Harry Kane tearing up the German Bundesliga and Jude Bellingham on fire in La Liga in Spain.
Back home, Jarrod Bowen with eight goals, Callum Wilson on seven and Ollie Watkins with six are giving national boss, Gareth Southgate, plenty to ponder ahead of selecting his Euros squad for next summer’s finals.
But Arsenal’s leading scorer is Eddie Nketiah on five, a statistic that Gallas sees as being the weak link for the Gunners.
“The conversation with Eddie Nketiah is always the same,” Gallas told Genting Casino. “We don’t know if he has the ability to be a top-level striker for a team that wants to compete for the title.
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“He looks like he is better at having an impact coming off the bench rather than starting games, and we’ve seen him do that and score goals. When he starts games, especially against the best teams, there are always doubts about his ability to get you a goal.
“Arsenal has to do better if they want to win the Premier League. Manchester City look strong. Liverpool are back. It will be difficult for Arsenal to win the title this season.”
*Read more from William Gallas at gentingcasino.com/insights/pr/football-insights
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