Ray Parlour says Arsenal must avoid becoming ‘overconfident’ ahead of their clash with Everton, warning Mikel Arteta’s players a ‘bad spell’ could follow if complacency creeps in.
Arsenal ensured they moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 1-0 victory away to Brighton last Wednesday night.
Elsewhere, Elliot Anderson fired an unstoppable 25-yard strike beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma as second-placed Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners have the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen up next, before playing host to Everton in what promises to be a tricky match at the Emirates.
The Toffees have won three of their last five matches in the English top flight entering Saturday’s contest and it will be a case of master versus apprentice when David Moyes is reunited with Mikel Arteta on the touchline in north London.
However, many Arsenal fans have already began to look ahead to April 19 when their side travel to City for has been billed as a potential title decider at the Etihad.
Discussing Arsenal’s title hopes heading into a crucial period, club legend Parlour said on talkSPORT: ‘I’m confident but I don’t want to overshoot it.
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‘I know Piers Morgan said they’re going to win it in March, this, that and the other, but I don’t want to be saying things like that because I know how hard it is and you could get a bad spell.
‘But they’re in a great position and sometimes you can be overconfident, can’t you?’
Parlour defended Arsenal’s tactics during the side’s turgid clash with Brighton, after which Fabian Hurzeler took aim at David Raya and accused Mikel Arteta’s men of ‘time-wasting’.
‘We used to try and do it if we were leading or whatever, you’ve got to try and see games out,’ the ex-Arsenal and England midfielder explained.
‘The good thing about that game was that they weren’t very good, they were poor as a team, but they won the game.
That’s what it comes down to. You don’t analyse every single game when you finish the season with the trophy in your hands, saying, “Remember the Brighton game? We didn’t play that well did we? We got lucky there”, you just embrace the moment as champions of England.
‘That’s the most important thing so you can try any sort of tactics but I think it’s a little bit unfair, all this talk of set-plays. Set-plays are part of the game!’
According to Parlour, the weekend commencing April 11 – when Arsenal face Bournemouth and City take on Chelsea – could prove a ‘defining moment’ in this year’s race for the Premier League title.
‘Arsenal play Everton at home and that’s when Manchester City go to West Ham, which isn’t an easy game. They’re having a real battle at the moment,’ he added.
‘And then, Arsenal have got Bournemouth at home at exactly the same time as Manchester City travel to Chelsea.
‘So two home games from Arsenal’s point of view and they’re pretty strong at home and Manchester City are travelling away from home so that could be the defining moment, who knows?’
Arsenal survived a second-half scare to overcome League One outfit Mansfield Town and secure their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the weekend.
After Will Evans had cancelled out Noni Madueke’s opener shortly after half-time, Eberechi Eze came on and scored what proved to be the winning goal with the standout moment of quality in the tie.
‘It was a brilliant strike from Eze against Mansfield,’ Parlour said of Arsenal’s 2-1 victory at Field Mill.
‘It was always going to be a difficult afternoon because of the pitch, they’re not used to playing on pitches like that… no excuses.
‘But I thought Mansfield were superb, I really thought they went out there, it was their cup final.
‘It only takes a couple of players who don’t fancy it. You know what it’s like, different surroundings, not as nice as the Emirates and other grounds in the Premier League and that’s when you can get beat.
‘I’ve been in games myself… Port Vale back in 1998, we had Carlisle United back in 2001 and they’re difficult games because they’re right up for it and if you’re not up for it, you get beat. It’s as simple as that.
‘So Arsenal did the job, they got the job done and now they can look forward to the draw.’
Will Arsenal end their wait for the title this season?
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Yes
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No
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