Gary Lineker issues warning to Arsenal, names team who could stop them from winning the league | OneFootball

The Premier League title race is delivering maximum drama, and we are officially entering the squeaky bum time of the season. Arsenal have successfully clawed their way back to the top of the table after grinding out a crucial 1-0 victory against Newcastle United at the Emirates.

However, the margins at the top are incredibly razor-thin. While Mikel Arteta’s squad holds the top spot, Manchester City are heavily lurking with a game in hand due to their recent FA Cup semi-final duties against Southampton.

As the pressure mounts, football legend Gary Lineker believes the ultimate title decider won’t actually be Pep Guardiola’s powerhouse, but rather a team fighting desperately at the completely opposite end of the table: West Ham United.

Gary Lineker has a warning for Arsenal

Speaking on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker offered a fresh breakdown of Arsenal’s crucial final stretch.

The Gunners have four highly winnable matches left, Fulham at home, West Ham away, Burnley at home, and a final-day trip to Crystal Palace.

While many fans might be chalking up the home games as guaranteed points, Lineker sounded a massive warning alarm about the trip to the London Stadium.

‘Arsenal are just not really creating at the moment and they weren’t like this in the first half of the season,’ Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.

‘They were so impressive so I don’t know if it’s nerves or a confidence thing but they look so edgy. Of course the result is the most important thing and they managed to get the three points.

‘They might go six points ahead of Man City before they play again and Arsenal’s last four games are very winnable.

‘They have Fulham at home and then West Ham away, now that will be tricky. West Ham are fighting for their lives and playing well at the moment.

‘They’ve got pretty much as good a record as almost anyone since the turn of the year so that will be a tough one for Arsenal.

‘Burnley at home, you’d strongly fancy Arsenal to win that one and then obviously Crystal Palace away on the final day of the season.

‘So overall I would say Arsenal have got slightly easier fixtures than Man City but we know that City down the stretch are usually pretty good.

West Ham post major threat to the Gunners

Despite being embroiled in a fierce relegation battle, the Hammers have been quietly formidable.

Lineker noted that West Ham is fighting for their Premier League lives and actually boasts one of the best records in the division since the turn of the year.

This is especially concerning since Lineker feels Arsenal currently look quite “edgy” and are struggling to create chances with the same devastating fluidity they displayed during the first half of the campaign.

With City facing a congested schedule but fully capable of closing the gap, this title race is balanced on an absolute knife-edge.

Because City play their next set of fixtures after Arsenal, the Gunners could briefly build a massive six-point gap, piling the pressure back on Pep Guardiola’s side.

Ultimately, Lineker boldly declared the situation to be “pretty much 50-50” between the two heavyweights.