Lineker noted that the Premier League’s unpredictability would excite neutral fans eager for the title race to remain competitive right until the finish.
By Kehinde Okeowo
British broadcaster and former Three Lions striker Gary Lineker has suggested that this season’s English Premier League (EPL) winner could be decided by goal difference.
He made the prediction while appearing as a guest on a recent episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
His comments follow a pivotal weekend at the Etihad Stadium, where Arsenal suffered their fourth defeat in six matches across all competitions.
In a high-stakes encounter, Rayan Cherki opened the scoring for the hosts in the 16th minute. Although Kai Havertz equalised for the Gunners just two minutes later, a 65th-minute strike from Erling Haaland ensured the home side secured all three points.
Despite the loss to Pep Guardiola’s side, Arsenal remain top of the Premier League table with 70 points from 33 matches.
However, Man City—currently in second place with 67 points from 32 games—could leapfrog the North London outfit if they beat relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday night.
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Discussing the title race, Lineker insisted Arsenal could still secure their first Premier League title in 22 years despite the 2-1 defeat.
He did, however, note that the league’s unpredictability is a win for the sport.
“It’s not impossible that it’ll come down to goal difference, and it is extremely close,” Lineker said. “It’s exciting for the neutral fans because you want it to be as competitive as possible right until the end; so, in that regard, it was positive.”
The former Spurs forward added: “I do feel a bit for Arsenal; they are experiencing some challenges, but they are still in the semi-finals of the Champions League and they have a lot to fight for. They can still clinch the Premier League title.”
The 1986 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner also dismissed claims that Mikel Arteta’s side are “bottling” the league.
“Many will say, ‘Arsenal have choked,’ but this season could still be memorable for them. I’m not going to join the narrative that they will squander it; it’s too early to make that claim. They did demonstrate resilience, even though the outcome was not in their favour; things could have turned out differently.” Lineker also said.
