Gary Lineker's new Arsenal and Man City stance – ‘If my life was on the line’

Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has now changed his Premier League title prediction after watching Arsenal and Manchester City over the weekend

Gary Lineker now reckons Manchester City will pip Arsenal to the Premier League title this season after being pressed for a verdict by Micah Richards. Mikel Arteta's team are faltering having suffered a stunning 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Gunners supporters will have been hoping that Tuesday's 1-0 victory at Sporting in the Champions League would have reignited their campaign. That win came after frustrating losses in the Carabao Cup final to City and the FA Cup against Championship outfit Southampton.

Yet Arsenal seemed to seize up against Andoni Iraola's side and were outclassed by the 11th-placed Cherries. Strikes from Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott, either side of a Viktor Gyokeres spot-kick, dealt a severe blow to their hopes of claiming a first Premier League crown since 2004.

And the Gunners' setback was made worse by second-placed City cruising to a 3-0 triumph at Chelsea on Sunday - just a week before they face Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's outfit are now just six points adrift of Arteta's team, with a game in hand over them.

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The contrasting fortunes of both City and Arsenal have now prompted football broadcaster Lineker to reveal on The Rest is Football that he believes Guardiola's squad will emerge victorious, having backed Arsenal for most of the season.

When pundit Richards asked for his view on the title race, Lineker said: "I've always thought, 'Well Arsenal will be fine, they're not going to choke, they'll be all right.'

"But since he's changed back to the three at the top, and the way Arsenal are stuttering and have lost their form at the moment.

"You know how important momentum is in not just football, in all sport. Momentum is so important, and all the momentum now is with City.

"So I think it's so tough to call now... but if you need to put your life on the line – which I'd hate to have to do under these circumstances – I'd probably now go City because I think they will win next week, but you never know."

Arsenal face Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday before the potential title showdown at City. And Arteta has vowed an instant response.

The Spaniard said: "We're going to do it, for sure.

"Because the way we all feel now with the hope and the ambition that we have for this game, we're going to see an immediate reaction, I'm convinced about that."