Arsenal: Lineker claims ‘relaxed’ star and relegation candidate could decide PL title race | OneFootball

Gary Lineker has picked out a player and club who could decide who wins the Premier League title between Arsenal and Manchester City.

On Saturday evening, Arsenal moved back to the top of the Premier League table by beating Newcastle United 1-0 at the Emirates.

The title is still in Man City’s hands as they have a game in hand, but they could be six points adrift of Arsenal by the time they play next.

This is because they had their FA Cup semi-final against Southampton on Saturday and play after Arsenal in the next set of fixtures.

Lineker has broken down the state of play in the Premier League title race after this weekend’s matches, claiming relegation candidates West Ham could cost Arsenal in the run-in.

“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.

“I think it’s pretty much 50-50, isn’t it? I would say it’s pretty much 50-50 between Arsenal and Manchester City.”

Eberechi Eze to decide the title race?

Arsenal were hardly convincing against Newcastle, but Lineker has reserved praise for matchwinner Eze and suggested that he could swing the title race in his side’s favour in the coming weeks.

“I think you have to give Eze a lot of credit because that was a gorgeous finish,” Lineker added.

“He looks like and I saw him in his post-match interview and he’s so relaxed and you just think to yourself, maybe put him in charge of what’s going on at the end of the season.

“He said it, ‘No, I’m not nervous, I just love playing football, it’s great, you want to be in this position,’ Absolutely the right attitude!

“It’s easy to have that attitude when you’ve just bent one in the top corner and a hugely important goal. But I see it, I get that, that’s how they should be.”