Former Arsenal winger Emmanuel Eboue believes Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa remain in contention to dethrone the Gunners from the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal hold a six-point advantage with 48 points after 20 matches, but Eboue warns of the risks ahead of Thursday's clash with Liverpool at the Emirates. Injury concerns linger for both sides, though Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike appears set to feature.
Arsenal sit six points clear at the Premier League summit with 48 points from 20 games, chasing their first title since 2004. Second-placed Aston Villa and third-placed Liverpool both have 42 points, while defending champions Manchester City lag in fourth on 34 points. The Gunners have endured three straight runner-up finishes under Mikel Arteta, heightening the pressure this season.
Ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue, speaking at the launch of Ladisfaction with Ladbrokes, identified four teams still in the race. "I think Arsenal and Manchester City will obviously be up there, but I don’t think Aston Villa or Liverpool are out of it yet," he said. Eboue praised Villa's proximity to the top and Liverpool's improving form despite a slow start. "Aston Villa are so close in points... they’ve done incredible," he added, noting Liverpool's potential to close the gap quickly, especially with their upcoming match against Arsenal.
"You might look at the table right now and say if Liverpool win the league this season, then something has gone very, very wrong for Arsenal. But this is a very, very hard league," Eboue cautioned. He backed Arsenal to prevail but expressed concern over squad depth amid a congested schedule. "For me, Arsenal don’t have enough players to compete for every trophy... if they start to slip up, then it’s going to be very, very difficult."
Ahead of Thursday's Emirates showdown, Liverpool manager Arne Slot hopes top scorer Hugo Ekitike (11 goals) recovers from a minor hamstring injury that sidelined him for Sunday's 2-2 draw at Fulham. The club's head of physiotherapy included Ekitike in his Fantasy Premier League team, signaling likely availability. Liverpool also miss Alexander Isak until March due to a broken leg and Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Florian Wirtz stepping up recently.
Arsenal's squad appears healthier, with Gabriel Jesus and others back from earlier injuries, though Arteta's side eyes reinforcements only if opportunities arise. Eboue remains optimistic: "I still have to say Arsenal win the league though; the club is my family... They have to win the title." Failure could intensify scrutiny on Arteta after three near-misses.
