Former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has predicted that the Gunners will win the Premier League this year. With just three losses in 28 league games this season, the north London team has excelled domestically. They have an eight-point advantage against reigning champions Manchester City, who still have a game in hand.
Van Persie, who rocked the Emirates for eight years, believes Arsenal will win the title, which would be their first since 2004. After playing in a legends match on Sunday at Ibrox between Rangers and a World XI, Van Persie, who left the Arsenal for Manchester United in the summer of 2012, spoke on the title challenges of the Gunners.
Van Persie ‘happy’ for Arsenal to win the Premier League title
Arsenal are firm favourites to win the Premier League title, as they have raced to a eight point lead over Manchester City with a game played more. Van Persie, who won the Premier League title in 2013 with man United had even visited the club’s Carrington training facility in February to speak with Erik ten Hag. However, his recent predictions have attested that the Dutchman still has a lot of affection for the Gunners. Van Persie told Sky Sports:
“If you look at this period of time, this is where every single point really counts. They’ve got (had) a couple of difficult games. They got the three points there, so that is what a champion’s team is made of. They’ve been proving that. But the last stretch is always the difficult one, so it’ll be interesting to see.
“My personal feeling is that they will go for it – that they will win the league. It’s been a while, so I’m happy for them to win it.”
Arsenal have won six straight league games to establish a commanding lead at the top of the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s team still has a way to go before they can begin to celebrate; they have games against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle coming up in their title charge.
Since Van Persie left Old Trafford in the summer of 2015, fans of Arsenal and United have questioned where his allegiances lie. His latest predictions, however, may have settled the debate once and for all. When the Dutchman left Arsene Wenger’s team for Sir Alex Ferguson’s title contenders twelve-and-a-half-years ago, Van Persie was the best player for Arsenal. Due to the manner in which the move took place, many Arsenal supporters have yet not forgiven the striker.
As his contract approached the end of it, Arsenal were forced to sell Van Persie to their direct rivals for the Premier League title Manchester United. By claiming that he was inspired to join United by the “little boy inside of me,” the player made matters worse. Later on, he acknowledged that he “should have chosen different words”.