Arsenal are within touching distance of their first Premier League title since 2004, as Mikel Arteta’s young Gunners sit atop of the standings with an eight-point lead over their closest rivals Manchester City who have a game in hand. The north Londoners, however, face a difficult final stretch of the campaign, with games against Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle awaiting ahead.
Nonetheless, former Arsenal centre-back Sol Campbell believes the Gunners can win the league if they defeat Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield. The ex-England international went back to the occasion when Arsene Wenger’s team defeated the Reds 4-2 on their way to the club’s last Premier League championship. However, that win came at home for Wenger’s men, while Arteta and his team faces a tough away trip.
Campbell tips Arsenal to title win but is ‘shocked’ at club’s two-decade wait for it
The Arsenal legend feels Liverpool ‘omen’ could help his former side clinch the title if they manage to win at the Anfield. Two decades back, the Gunners had sealed their ‘Invincible’ title win by defeating the Reds 4-2 at home, on April 9 2004. Arteta’s men too travel to Merseyside on April 9, and Campbell believes the stars are aligning for an Arsenal title win. He said:
“I am hoping it’s an omen if Arsenal defeat Liverpool — the last time they beat them on April 9 the Gunners went on to win the title. I believe our win 19 years ago was a defining moment in us winning the championship — albeit our victory against Liverpool was at home.”
However, Campbell further stressed on the fact that he is ‘shocked’ to see his former club wait for 20 years to potentially win a Premier League title. The ex-Gunner added:
“The only shock for me is that it has taken almost two decades for the club to be in this position to win the league again. I would have said you were having a laugh if anyone had suggested when we lifted the trophy in 2004 that the Gunners would still have been waiting for another title success two decades later. Just getting to this point has been way too long in coming.
“What made our victory even more special was the fact we had gone into the game on the back of two defeats — exits from the FA Cup (vs Manchester United) and the Champions League (vs Chelsea on aggregate). When Liverpool went 1-0 up in the first five minutes, and then regained the lead at 2-1, it’s in those moments you look around at team-mates and hope that collectively we can find that something extra to turn a game.
“That’s easier said than done against a side like Liverpool, who were packed full of game-changers. But like so many occasions in that season it almost felt our front four of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg could just flick a switch and create moments of magic. Thierry’s hat-trick was just sublime — his second, and our third, was the pick of the goals.
“The way in which he picked up the ball just inside the Liverpool half and then danced and weaved his way past players was brilliant. At his peak, Thierry was unplayable. And his link up play with Robert, Dennis and Freddie was on another level. When we were 2-1 down at half-time you could sense a nervous tension among fans — particularly on the back of two draws and two defeats beforehand. But by the end Highbury was really rocking.
“Going into this match we were four points ahead of second-placed Chelsea and felt confident we were in the driving seat with eight games left. However, after this 4-2 win I genuinely think we all finally felt for the first time the title was in our grasp.”
Campbell, who famously played for both Tottenham and Arsenal, also lavished praise on Arteta and the club’s recruitment team to go hand-in-hand for the good of the team.
“Fast forward 19 years and I think Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in the same mindset going into tomorrow’s game against, of all teams, Liverpool, on the same date. The progress they have made in 12 months — after missing out on a top four place a year ago — has been the story of the season. A combination of outstanding player recruitment, a brilliant start to the season — with five wins in a row — and then reeling off their last seven Prem wins on the spin.
“Even Pep Guardiola has admitted he would rather be in Arsenal’s position right now — because it’s the Gunners’ title to lose. I do believe that if they win at Liverpool tomorrow it would take something absolutely catastrophic for Arsenal not to be lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of next month.”