Martin Keown: Arsenal’s six point lead is healthier than nine – it’ll stop the propaganda

Martin Keown has claimed Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool will be ‘healthier’ for Arsenal’s title charge in the long run.

The Gunners looked set to open up a nine-point lead at the Premier League summit on Sunday, before City pulled off a late comeback to beat the Reds 2-1 at Anfield.

AFP

Mikel Arteta‘s side cruised to a 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday to boost their bid for a first league triumph since 2004.

This piled the pressure on the Citizens, who needed to respond with a result against Liverpool to cut the gap at the top back to six points.

And it looked as though Arne Slot’s side had done Arsenal a favour, as they took a late lead against City through Dominik Szoboszlai‘s stunning free-kick.

However, a late equaliser from Bernardo Silva and a stoppage-time Erling Haaland penalty saw Pep Guardiola‘s side steal the points.

The turnaround means City can reduce the Gunners’ lead to just three points with victory over Fulham on Wednesday, with the league leaders not in action against Brentford until the following evening.

‘It was always alive’

Most pundits felt Man City had only just salvaged their title hopes alive with their dramatic win against Liverpool.

But Arsenal legend Keown argued that a nine-point lead would have heaped pressure on his old club, who have faced continued questions over their mentality after finishing as Premier League runners-up in the last three seasons.

He told talkSPORT: “You think about the game before and you think: ‘Okay, if it goes to nine points, then we know the narrative will be that Arsenal are champions’.

“And I actually thought to myself, maybe it’s better that City win this game, just to keep it real.

“If you’re a prospective champion, this is the life that you have to lead. You expect the unexpected.

Getty

“It was an amazing result for City. But Arsenal didn’t lose this weekend. Arsenal won a very important match against a really good side – Sunderland.”

Explaining his point, Keown insisted that a nine-point gap would have once again raised questions over whether Arsenal could hold their nerve in the title race.

The Gunners have faced ‘bottling’ suggestions this term, having previously crumbled in the latter stages of the 2022/23 season.

Keown said: “Man City may look at this as a definitive moment for them in the title race and a win that has kept them alive, but it was always alive.

“And actually, I think six points instead of nine is healthier because the narrative of Arsenal not being strong enough. 

“If they go nine points clear, it’s theirs to lose again and we get all that propaganda to try and keep this story alive.”

Getty

Insisting the title race is far from over, Keown argued that Arsenal must prove their credentials by handling changes in circumstances.

The three-time Premier League winner said: “You have to shut out the outside noise. It’s about what you do, not what the opposition do.

“Of course it would have been handy to go nine points clear but the fact it didn’t happen, Arsenal haven’t been derailed by that.

“I actually saw a lot from Arsenal at the weekend that made me think: ‘Do you know what? They will go the distance’.

“But this is the life when you’re trying to be a prospective champion – there are twists and turns. You stay calm and you stay confident, and you go to the next game.”