Gary Lineker has identified the ‘tricky’ fixture that could cost Arsenal the Premier League title as Mikel Arteta’s side look to hold off Manchester City.
The Gunners, attempting to win their first league title since 2004, regained their place at the top of the table with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday.
Arsenal had lost their previous two league games and again struggles for fluency against Newcastle but clinched an important victory courtesy of Eberechi Eze’s early goal.
Man City were unable to respond to Arsenal’s win as they put their title charge on hold to focus on the FA Cup, mounting an impressive comeback to beat Southampton 2-1 and reach the final, where they will face Chelsea after the managerless Blues overcame Leeds United.
Arsenal play before City this weekend meaning they will move six points clear at the top of the Premier League if they beat London rivals Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s final three games are against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace, and Lineker believes an away game at the Hammers could be a banana skin for Arsenal.
West Ham looked set for relegation to the Championship earlier in the season but have improved in recent weeks to climb out of the drop zone, two points above struggling Tottenham.
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‘Arsenal are just not really creating at the moment and they weren’t like this in the first half of the season,’ Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘They were so impressive so I don’t know if it’s nerves or a confidence thing but they look so edgy. Of course the result is the most important thing and they managed to get the three points.
‘They might go six points ahead of Man City before they play again and Arsenal’s last four games are very winnable.
‘They have Fulham at home and then West Ham away, now that will be tricky. West Ham are fighting for their lives and playing well at the moment.
‘They’ve got pretty much as good a record as almost anyone since the turn of the year so that will be a tough one for Arsenal.
‘Burnley at home, you’d strongly fancy Arsenal to win that one and then obviously Crystal Palace away on the final day of the season.
‘So overall I would say Arsenal have got slightly easier fixtures than Man City but we know that City down the stretch are usually pretty good.
‘I think it’s pretty much 50-50, isn’t it? I would say it’s pretty much 50-50 between Arsenal and Manchester City.’
Before resuming their Premier League title charge against Fulham, Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico are only fourth in La Liga but beat leaders Barcelona in the last round of the Champions League.
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