Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore reckons Arsenal will not be able to sustain their current form over the course of the Premier League season and will finish well below Manchester City in the final standings.
The Gunners are currently atop the standings with 15 points from five games. After opening their season with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta's side won their next four games.
Following the disappointment of missing out on UEFA Champions League football last season, the Gunners have earned a lot of plaudits due to their imperious form. They have scored 13 goals and conceded just four so far.
In his column for Mirror, Collymore said that the Gunners look good to return to the Champions League. However, he sounded sceptical about their Premier League title hopes despite their perfect start to the season.
"I'm happy to concede they could well qualify for the Champions League next May," said Collymore. "I'm also willing to stick my neck on the line right now and tell all those Gooners who think they will be challenging for the title after five wins from five that they simply have no chance."
He thinks Manchester City could canter to the title, with Arsenal lagging far behind:
"The smart money is on Manchester City to win the Premier League by anything between nine and 15 points. And history tells me that Arsenal won't be anywhere near them at the pointy end of the season. Just look at the gap they have to close – 24 points last season – and reflect on the previous seven or eight years."
He added that there are a lot of imponderables during a season, which have a say in the title race.
"What baffles me is that supporters and pundits alike seem to regularly suffer from collective amnesia when it comes to remembering how seasons pan out," said Collymore.
He added:
"It's not a case of teams playing 38 games on beautiful sunny days in front of a really enthusiastic crowd. There's cold weather to deal with, wet weather, international breaks, injuries, loss of form and a whole plethora of off-field issues, all of which will come along and test Arsenal."
Arsenal will lock horns with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday (September 4). They will hope to win their first six games in a top-flight campaign for the first time since the 1947-48 season.
Arsenal complete squad overhaul in summer transfer window
The Gunners have made an extensive squad overhaul his summer. They roped in Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marquinhos - for a combined sum of around £120 million.
The Gunners parted ways with Alexandre Lacazette, Bernd Leno, Hector Bellerin, Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Konstantinos Mavropanos this summer. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left in January.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Pepe, Nuno Tavares, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Pablo Mari, Runar Alex Runarsson and Auston Trusty secured loan moves away.
Paul Merson predicts Man Utd vs Arsenal, Everton vs Liverpool and other GW 6 matches! Click here
andrepoon
0
Fomabdilns
0
*Four
Fomabdilns
0
Come on guys...Top first...title not yet...I'm a Gunner...
BeRaw
0
Oh so everyone is already counting arsenal in in just 5 games??? Are you new to epl? Arsenal is always high at the beginning and high at the end 🤣🤣
kuwabiopy
0
it's not only in Africa where they smoke weed
Nuabmnrtuz
1
Hell na leave arsenal alone, can't you just mind your business and focus to Liverpool please
Votabrtuz
1
some guys are just useless...how can he just say Arsenal can't manage to hold that form.
Cicbdknoty
0
All afc fans wants 2 eat dx man raw
truefanbarca/Gun
4
don't know why so many people wants to see arsenal fail it's shameful
the_Profe55or
4
This guy is still living in the past af with zero sense of reality,.. variables are never constant, mathematically and "footballically" speaking so you need to go back to school and start with at least,.. direct and inverse variations! 😂😂
misabcdenp
2
Very lazy analysis
Kitbelnpu
2
Arsenal win dem have problem ..dem lose unuh cuss same low di team and go look a coaching job
Kitbelnpu
2
love to see pundits in coaching capacity...or is only dem mouth dem can run...year in year out those variables are there...every team have play in
OmuweewoYasin
1
this man's thinking is very stupid and low understanding
feacdeinoy
2
So since wen was it affirmed that all the aforementioned variables will affect only a f only Arsenal. Arsenal won against Aston villa and City drew against them,was City in wet or cold whether??.
Conimrtuy
2
It’s only Arsenal who face cold weather and wet weather? Or it’s only Arsenal who will face injuries find thing say you haters
OliverKambwali
1
Arsenal fans waiting to see when Arsenal will play in CL & reach knock out stages 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.
CollinsRPG
0
All those variables you say will affect Asernal will also be felt every team in the EPL. Say Man City has greater chance but in football anything can happen under those slightest probabilities Asernal can unseat Man City. I think am now an Asernal fan, We have nothing to lose but when we beat the best WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THE LOUDEST NOISE.
Teekaay
0
is this SAKA? beautiful!!!
Jus a simple of young team...
nobleng123
0
We go game by game....
[image]
is this SAKA? beautiful!!!
Lombcdpuz
2
man dont know Leicester's history
Afrosports
0
this collymore seems to be dense in his thinking, he thinks that Manchester city player are all machines who can not be affected with injuries, wet weather , cold weather etc. this man has to think before he makes his statements about Arsenal
If young boys don't know collymore in his playing days we do, was he not same person called football bad boy who could not sometimes last six months in a club for lack of discipline. what do you expect from him
fideimot
1
these people failed to understand that football is not a movie that once it's played doesn't change... my friend football do change each and every day, for example: Arsenal won Aston villa 2-1 last night but draw 1-1 with Manchester city. so anything can change in football
Neulnopz
1
shame on you Stan. honestly what has arsenal done to this guys, they always say negative things about arsenal, why.........?"
zopbdmns
0
What do u expect from a hater
Lismnopst
0
I don't know why most pundits are still in the past please think about future
sobdeoprtz
0
this collymore seems to be dense in his thinking, he thinks that Manchester city player are all machines who can not be affected with injuries, wet weather , cold weather etc. this man has to think before he makes his statements about Arsenal
the guy is madooo don't bother yourself he thinks haaland can't get injured or kdb
noyadlstz
1
You're very right
sunnysayus
1
And still don’t win the league that season despite being unbeaten 💔😂
Dibadkmnru
0
And still don’t win the league that season despite being unbeaten 💔😂
do u know ball?
Teekaay
6
We go game by game....
MullerChase
0
Analysts keep predicting arsenals chances based on their recent seasons they have forgotten that It was the same name ARSENAL that was unbeaten throughout a season.
[image]
And still don’t win the league that season despite being unbeaten 💔😂
sunnysayus
5
Analysts keep predicting arsenals chances based on their recent seasons they have forgotten that It was the same name ARSENAL that was unbeaten throughout a season.
Sukbcdnrtz
1
jealousy at his pick
Yuneklosty
0
Silly jealousy
DominicChege
0
this collymore seems to be dense in his thinking, he thinks that Manchester city player are all machines who can not be affected with injuries, wet weather , cold weather etc. this man has to think before he makes his statements about Arsenal
He is right man city have depth in there squad compared to Arsenal
Wiabceimoy
4
exactly what they told Leicester 2016 that they simply have no chance.
Deuces01
0
this collymore seems to be dense in his thinking, he thinks that Manchester city player are all machines who can not be affected with injuries, wet weather , cold weather etc. this man has to think before he makes his statements about Arsenal
But they have prove them self so many times
fideimot
0
this collymore seems to be dense in his thinking, he thinks that Manchester city player are all machines who can not be affected with injuries, wet weather , cold weather etc. this man has to think before he makes his statements about Arsenal