Manchester City legєɴԀ Micah Richards cannot see Arsenal winning the Premier League title this season after Gabriel Jesus suffered a fresh ιɴjυɾу.
Arsenalwere last season’s surprise package in the Premier League as they mounted a shock challenge for the title.
Mikel Arteta’s side were top of the league for most of the campaign but they struggled during the run-in as they єɴԀed up finishing five points adrift of champions Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s men head into the 2023/24 campaign as title favourites again and they are looking to lift the Premier League for a fourth straight season.
Jesus missed a significant portion of last season due to ιɴjυɾу and it has now been confirmed that he will miss the opening weeks of the 2023/24 season. Richards thinks the striker’s absence is going to “kill” the Gunners.
“I was close to picking Arsenal to win the title this season, because no team has ever won it four years in a row,” Richards said.
“But, they are without Gabriel Jesus at the start of the season and I think that is just going to kill them.”
Arsenal have spent around £200m to sign Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Haverts and they are now set to sign David Raya on loan from Brentford.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Ben Foster has claimed that Raya is going to cause a “problem” for Arsenal.
“I think David Raya is a problem signing for Arsenal,” Foster said via his YouTube channel.
“For me, Aaron Ramsdale is perfect for them. I think he is absolutely perfect. I agree with what you’re saying about Raya being great at playing out from the back, but I still think Rambo is incredible at it. He is incredible at it.
“I know Aaron Ramsdale makes world-class saves that keep Arsenal in games at times. He’s a massive personality. And I just think there’s no need to rock the boat with this one.”
Peter Schmeichel added: “I absolutely do not get it [Arsenal signing Raya],” Schmeichel told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I cannot understand how a manager can come to the conclusion that it’s a great thing to have competition for the number one shirt.
“A goalkeeper’s position is very reactive. You cannot create anything on your own, you have to wait for things to happen.”
He continued: “They need to know if it goes wrong, which it does now and again, everyone makes a mistake and everyone costs a goal, that the manager says, ‘that’s alright, mate, you’re still my number one’.
“You need to have that confidence. If you don’t, you cannot perform 100 per cent for the team.”
