Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has backed Arsenal to win the Premier League title this season.
The Gunners have emerged as major challengers to Manchester City under Mikel Arteta, who has guided the club to consecutive second-place finishes — taking the title race to the final day last season.
However, Arsenal remain without a Premier League title since 2003/04 and it’s proving increasingly difficult for any side to dislodge Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering City side, who have won six of the last seven titles, including the last four.
But according to former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent — who also played for Ipswich, Charlton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Derby and England during his career, the Gunners are about to end their long drought.
“They’ve not won the league since 2003/04, I think this is their time,” boyhood Arsenal fan Bent, who scored 106 Premier League goals as a striker, told talkSPORT.
“We’ll spread the goals out, I think we’re solid defensively – we’ll find a way to do it.
“Our two centre-halves are incredible, David Raya is a permanent signing so after being close two years on the bounce, I believe this is their time.
“If City are to have a dip, I think Arsenal will be the next best team to exploit that.”
Bent’s co-host predicts Arteta to be ‘found out’
Bent’s talkSPORT Drive co-host, Andy Goldstein, disagrees considerably.
Goldstein believes City will win the title again, but also made the sensational prediction that both Arsenal and Liverpool will drop out of the reckoning, with Manchester United getting closer to their local rivals.
“I think Manchester City will be up there, Liverpool won’t be, but Manchester United will,” said Goldstein. “I don’t think Arsenal will have a good season, I think they’ll be found out. I don’t think Mikel Arteta is good enough to get them over the line. I really don’t.”