Lineker names player who could be difference between Arsenal and Man City

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·22 dicembre 2025

Lineker names player who could be difference between Arsenal and Man City

Gary Lineker believes Erling Haaland could prove decisive in the Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City as the season progresses. In recent months, City have emerged as Arsenal’s primary challengers after Liverpool’s campaign declined sharply. The Reds are no longer expected to compete among the league’s leading sides, leaving Arsenal focused almost entirely on Pep Guardiola’s team.

The Gunners understand that, beyond a narrow points gap, they do not hold a clear advantage over City. Both sides possess the quality and depth required to sustain a title push, and confidence remains high in both camps. Arsenal back themselves to win their remaining matches, yet City will approach their fixtures with similar belief and experience in decisive moments.

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Arsenal’s strength and City’s threat

Mikel Arteta is currently guiding one of the strongest squads in world football. Arsenal have shown an ability to grind out results, even when performances are not at their best, which is often a defining trait of title-winning teams. Their resilience and collective organisation have allowed them to stay competitive at the top end of the table.

However, Manchester City are packed with world-class talent capable of unsettling any opponent. For Arsenal, the challenge lies not only in maintaining their own consistency but also in finding ways to neutralise City’s match winners. Among those, Haaland stands out as the most significant concern due to his scoring record and physical presence.

Haaland v Eze (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Lineker highlights Haaland’s impact

Lineker has singled out the Norwegian striker as the potential difference maker, speaking according to the Metro. He said, ‘Erling Haaland has already got 19 goals in the Premier League and he scored a bucketload for Norway in the [World Cup] qualifying games.

‘It’s incredible what he’s doing. I mean, he could ultimately be the difference between Man City and Arsenal this season.’

Haaland’s consistency in front of goal has been remarkable, and his ability to turn tight games in City’s favour places additional pressure on Arsenal to remain flawless. As the title race intensifies, Lineker’s view underlines the reality that individual brilliance, particularly from a prolific striker, could ultimately determine where the trophy ends up at the end of the campaign.

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