Danny Murphy has changed his Premier League title prediction and is now backing Arsenal to beat Liverpool to the trophy.
Arsenal are sitting top of the table – three points clear of second-placed Manchester City – ahead of Sunday’s clash against Crystal Palace.
Defending champions Liverpool were the early pacesetters but three successive defeats has seen Arne Slot’s side slip to fourth, four points behind the Gunners.
Murphy backed Liverpool to retain the title before the season started but now expects Arsenal to become champions of England for the first time since 2004.
‘Liverpool will improve, there’s no doubt about that, and Manchester City are flying,’ Murphy said on talkSPORT. ‘So there’s no guarantees Arsenal will win the league but I do think they will now.
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‘I don’t agree that Mikel Arteta has to win something. If you get 98 points and lose the title on the final day or lose the Champions League final in extra-time because of a bad refereeing decision you’re not going to get rid of the manager, are you? That would be ridiculous.
‘So I don’t think he has to win something but he would have to be damn unlucky and be competitive right until the end in both competitions to be forgiven.’
The most important player in Arsenal’s title charge, according to Murphy, is England midfielder Declan Rice.
Rice has hardly missed a game for the Gunners since his £105m move from West Ham in 2023.
Arsenal signed the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi last summer but Murphy still views Rice as the ‘main man’ at the Emirates Stadium.
‘They’re not reliant now on one or two players,’ the ex-England star added. ‘They’ve got so much back-up across the pitch.
‘I still think Declan Rice is a massive player for them. I know they brought in Christian Norgaard from Brentford who is a good player actually, I like him a lot.
‘But Rice has got that physical athleticism, he’s so good on the press. I’m not saying Arsenal wouldn’t win games without him but I think he’s the one, he’s become their main man.’
Arsenal’s impressive form continued on Tuesday night as Mikel Arteta’s side thumped Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Champions League.
Rice provided the assist for Gabriel Magalhaes’ headed opener before fellow Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli doubled Arsenal’s lead.
Viktor Gyokeres then ended a run of nine games without a goal with a quickfire brace, firing Arsenal to an emphatic win over La Liga side Atletico.
Following Atletico’s heaviest Champions League defeat, Diego Simeone hailed Arsenal as the ‘best team’ his side have faced so far this season.
Atletico lost to Premier League champions Liverpool earlier in the campaign and beat Real Madrid in the league but Simeone believes Arsenal are playing at a higher level than both of those clubs.
Asked whether Arsenal were the best team Atletico Madrid have played this season, Simeone told Amazon Prime through a translator: ‘Yes, I would say the best team we have faced this season.
‘They compete so well, their players run and run and they have quality all over the pitch. They deserved to win today and I want to congratulate them.’
Arsenal’s next opponents, FA Cup holders Crystal Palace, are currently eighth in the Premier League, two points outside the top-four.
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