Premier League leaders Arsenal ‘won’t drop another point’ in title run-in, says Peter Crouch after Manchester City stumble

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Peter Crouch believes the Premier League title race could effectively be over if Arsenal overcome West Ham United at the London Stadium, claiming Manchester City have it "all to do".

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It has been a seismic week for the club, with Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final triumph over Atletico Madrid coming 24 hours after Manchester City blew their opportunity to make up ground following a 3-3 draw against Everton.

The Gunners know that, provided they claim three victories from their remaining matches against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace, they will end their 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Crouch argued that City may struggle to recover after dropping crucial points against David Moyes' side.

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"I believe so [it's over if Arsenal beat West Ham]," Crouch said. "Man City have it all to do. That result at Everton was massive for them.

"I can't see Arsenal dropping another point now. They'll beat West Ham, Burnley have gone, and Palace have got their eyes on other things with the Europa Conference League final. I think it's Arsenal's title."

City looked like they had swung the balance in their favour when they defeated Arsenal at home last month, but they were fortunate to come away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium with a point after Everton scored three times in a chaotic 13-minute spell in the second half last Monday.

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Jeremy Doku scored a 97th-minute equaliser to ensure they came away from Merseyside with a point, but the result means the destiny of this season's title has slipped out of their hands.

City beat Brentford 3-0 on Saturday to cut the gap to Arsenal to two points.

Fellow pundit Joe Cole also suggested victory in east London would leave Arsenal in a commanding position, though he warned against expecting a comfortable afternoon for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Cole noted that Arsenal’s trip to West Ham had long stood out as one of the defining fixtures in the closing weeks of the campaign, particularly after City’s stumble at Everton.

"If Arsenal beat West Ham, I think it's theirs," Cole said. "When we looked at the fixtures a few weeks ago, we picked out Everton as a tricky one for Man City, which they did drop points. We also picked out West Ham away for Arsenal.

"West Ham have dropped off a little bit from a few weeks ago, but it's a London derby - and they are desperate. There are so many threads that go through this particular story, I just think West Ham will turn up and make it difficult. I can't see Arsenal wiping the floor with them in this game."

Arteta's message to his players

Arteta has urged his Arsenal players to maintain the intensity and hunger that have carried them to the brink of a historic campaign, as the club enter a defining three-week period in pursuit of both domestic and European glory.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's trip across London, Arteta called on both his squad and supporters to remain firmly focused on the task immediately ahead.

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"Stay present, live in the moment," Arteta said on Friday. "Prepare and show the same level of energy, hunger and desire we have shown all season, or more. We are closer and closer, and everything we do is going to matter."

With a Champions League final against defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain awaiting on May 30, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, Arteta was keen to ensure attention does not drift from Arsenal's domestic responsibilities.

West Ham, currently 18th, remain embroiled in a relegation battle, and present what the Arsenal manager views as an immediate and demanding challenge.

"We will have time to prepare and get ready for the final, but now, the full focus and attention to detail, all the energy now has to be put into West Ham," he added. "We made that very clear."

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Arteta also reflected on the emotional aftermath of Tuesday’s European triumph, admitting the significance of the occasion was not lost on him before swiftly turning his attention back to the Premier League title race.

"I was in a really high emotional state after the [Atletico] game,” Arteta added. "We know what it means to everybody.

"But, you have to believe me, straight after that, my concentration, my focus, my energy and my attention was West Ham, what we have to do mentally, physically, tactically and technically to prepare in the best possible way to go there and win the game."

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