Former Tottenham star gives firm prediction on Arsenal's title hopes

Mikel Arteta is leading the way in the Premier League (Picture: Getty Images)

Former Tottenham and England midfielder Jermaine Jenas has made his pick in the Premier League title race, which he feels is now down to Arsenal and Manchester City.

The Gunners top the Premier League table but have not been in top form of late, winning just three of their last six league outings .

Manchester City have been on something of a charge , winning their last four and cutting their deficit to two points behind the league leaders.

Aston Villa have been the side in the most remarkable form , winning their last six league matches and are just three points off the top of the table.

The Villains will hope that they can maintain their challenge and make it a three-horse race, but Jenas feels Arsenal remain the favourites and the team to beat.

The 42-year-old reckons Pep Guardiola’s men will give them a run for their money, but ultimately are liable to a ‘clanger’ more than the Gunners.

‘I do think Arsenal are still favourites. I’ve been saying it from the start of the season,’ Jenas told 10bet . ‘I think they’ve got the best team.

Jermaine Jenas is backing his old rivals Arsenal (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I think they’ve shown in the last couple of games that without Saliba and Gabriel together, the frailties are there and they don’t have that stable foundation to build off. But I assume they’ll both be back come the new year. Saliba was back this weekend, but either way, I don’t see a better team in the league right now.

‘I think City are making a really good run of it, but they’ve still got a clanger in them. But they’ve had a couple of big results recently. You know, City are going to test them, put it that way. City are going to push Arsenal to see if they’ve learned any lessons, but I believe they have and I think they’ll get over the line this time.’

Mikel Arteta’s team has finished second in each of the last three seasons, leading to questions over whether they can get over the line in a title race.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have the experience of winning titles (Picture: Getty Images)

Jenas, though, believes they must have learned lessons from those experiences and are now ready to get their hands on the trophy, even if Manchester City really put the pressure on.

‘I don’t think City will overtake Arsenal over Christmas ,’ he continued. ‘The issue with it is, City have the ability right now to go on the type of unbeaten runs that they’ve gone on in the past to really apply that pressure.

‘I’d be absolutely shocked if this group of players at Arsenal have not learned their lesson with regards to just dealing with pressure when it gets to the business end of the season.

‘They had a bit of a wobble against Wolves the other day and got away with it. You do need a lot of luck at times, things to go your way. We’ve seen that with City over the years and Liverpool , and the great teams that have won the Premier League title.

‘The only thing I would say about Arsenal that worries me a little bit is that they don’t seem to be blowing teams away. It’s always like a one-nil, two-nil type of situation where you’re always putting yourself under pressure doing that. But I still think even if we get to New Year’s Day and they’re behind City, I think they’ll go on and win it.’