Ashley Cole says only an ‘absolute capitulation’ would stop Arsenal winning the title | OneFootball

Former Arsenal star Ashley Cole believes it would take a major capitulation for Arsenal not to win the Premier League this season.

Arsenal are seven points clear of Manchester City with eight games to go, but City have a game in hand.

Speaking exclusively to Hayters, and asked if Arsenal can win the league, Cole said: “Yeah, I think so. I think with the consistency that Arsenal have shown so far this season, I think only eight games left of the season, seven points clear. It’s a silly answer, but it’s Arsenal’s to lose.

“They’re finding that extra five percent, two percent in games to find a way to win. It’s going to have to be an absolute capitulation for Arsenal to lose the league.”

Arsenal have come under a lot of criticism for the way they have played this campaign, relying heavily on set-pieces and their physicality.

Cole said he could understand the criticism: “I certainly have a way that I like to watch football and a style that I want my team to play, but ultimately it’s about winning. Mikel Arteta got challenged at the start of the season to break the curse of 22 years since they last won it.

“They had to beat or position themselves above Manchester City and Liverpool. And they’ve done that so far. So ultimately, at the end of the Premier League season, if Arsenal’s name is on the title, he’s done his job.”

The former England full-back said he has a lot of faith in Arsenal, so much so that he does not see a quadruple as being out of the question: “Why not? I think the players seem to have some sort of belief. The manager has a belief. And slowly but surely, they’re winning game after game. And if they can continue that form and have that belief, you know, nothing is impossible in football.

“And they’ll certainly have the feeling of wanting to get the first trophy over the line. If they get that feeling of the first win then who knows what can happen? It breeds a lot of confidence when you win a trophy. There’s a lot of players there that haven’t won trophies. So it’d be important for them to get the first one over the line as quick as possible and then continue that run.”