Rio Ferdinand has weighed in on the Premier League title chase, suggesting Liverpool have effectively clinched the title, with Arne Slot’s side becoming overwhelming favourites after a crucial week. Arsenal’s slip-up at home against West Ham saw them drop valuable points, while Liverpool capitalised by overcoming Manchester City.
This resulted in Liverpool establishing an 11-point lead at the summit, leading Ferdinand, a decorated six-time Premier League champion, to imply that Liverpool’s recent triumph could be the decisive moment of the season. On TNT Sports, the ex-defender said: “Everyone’s looking up at the table and looking up at Liverpool, unfortunately. I think there are games in the season where you look back and go ‘that was the one, that set the tone and put a nail in the coffin of all the opponents and took the confidence and life out of all the people chasing’.
“I think that was the game. I think that will go down as a poignant game in the season.”
In contrast to Ferdinand’s point of view, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta seems not to have conceded the race. Ahead of a midweek match with Nottingham Forest, who have proven to be surprise contenders this season, Arteta offered a resolute take on the situation at hand, dismissing any hint of defeat in the title competition.
He declared: “I’m not going to stop over my dead body. Over my dead body. If not, I’ll go home. Mathematically, it’s possible. You are there, you have to play every game. Suddenly, three days ago, we could close the gap and you are like, you are one and a half games away.
“It doesn’t matter. We have to continue to go. We’ll not stop thinking that way and put everything that we possibly can to increase the probability of us winning and being better than the opponent. We want to hit that performance and those standards constantly, regardless of what happens.
“The reality is there’s so many games to play and you have to get back to it. And we have the levels and the consistency and the hunger to go again. And that’s what we’re going to do on Wednesday.”
As Arsenal gear up against Forest, Liverpool will no doubt be looking to make a clear statement this week in the title race. Slot’s team is set for a face-off with Newcastle at Anfield come Wednesday evening.
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