Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has backed Arsenal to retain their lead at the summit in the Premier League and go all the way to win the title. The Gunners are flying high in the English top flight, having secured two-point lead at the top of the table over second placed Manchester City. The defending league champions are however coming for their spot, and Evra has explained what Arsenal needs to do in order to claim the title.
Arsenal, however, are currently walking on a tight rope with that Premier League lead, with a number of injuries having plagued an already thin squad. The World Cup dealt them a massive blow, with their headline summer signing Gabriel Jesus undergoing a surgery on his knee injury which he sustained during Brazil’s group game at the tournament against Cameroon. With the striker now out for at least three months, Evra has called for Arsenal to beef up in the January if they are win the championship.
Evra outlines William Saliba’s importance as he calls on Arsenal to spend big in January
Arsenal indeed are looking for new signings in the upcoming January transfer market to keep them going the way they are. The Gunners lack a proper squad depth unlike Manchester City who have evidently resisted the World Cup risk as they knocked Liverpool out of the Carabao in their first game after club football’s resumption. Speaking to Betfair, Evra explained the Gunners too need a solid squad depth which would then cement their title challenge. He said:
“We don’t know who’s going to win, it’s an exciting Premier League and it’s been an exciting start. For me, the three best teams right now are Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester City. We still don’t know who’s going to win but I will tell you one thing, and this is coming from a Manchester United legend, I actually want Arsenal to win.
“The Premier League is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. My worry for Arsenal, even if I only want to stay positive for them, is the depth of the squad. I’m really excited to see who they are going to buy in January. Some clubs buy players when they are in a crisis, but like Sir Alex Ferguson used to do, you need to buy players when you’re at the top.”
Evra, a five-time Premier League champion with United further highlighted Arsenal’s over-reliance in defense on William Saliba who has taken the league by storm in his debut season. The pro-turned-pundit continued:
“Imagine if Saliba got injured, the impact he has on the team if he was to get injured they would be done. So, they need another centre-back. It’s a big chance for the owner of the club to backup Arteta. I’m sure that Arteta is convinced that Arsenal are going to win the league, and the players are convinced, but they need some backup.
“I want to see the owner really back him if he needs three big players. I don’t know what specific positions they need to go for, definitely centre-back and maybe midfield. This is down to the owner, they will have to make the decision, do they want to go to the next level or do they just want to keep living with the hope.
“When Leicester won the title, in the season everyone was questioning if they could do it, we never believed it, and suddenly boom they were champions. I think the same thing could happen with Arsenal.”
Arsenal are once again looking forward to another busy transfer window, as a number of outgoings are expected as well alongside the potential incomings. While they are looking for a Jesus replacement, the Gunners have also been linked with a move for highly rated Shakhtar winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. Mikel Arteta evidently wants to convert the brilliant start his team has had into silverware and January investment is the only way he keeps the challenge alive.