Alan Shearer rates Arsenal’s title chances in the Premier League

The Gunners reclaimed top spot in the Premier League after a convincing 3-0 win over Brentford at the weekend.

Alan Shearer has praised Arsenal’s progress in the past year, but he thinks it’s too early to label them as title contenders in the Premier League.

William Saliba, Gabriel Jesus, and Fabio Vieira’s goals on Sunday helped Mikel Arteta’s side beat Brentford 3-0 on Sunday. It put them back on top of the league standings, one point above Manchester City and Tottenham.

“The Gunners’ win at Brentford epitomised their progress under Mikel Arteta, because we all remember what happened in this fixture on the opening weekend of last season – when the Bees didn’t just beat them, they bullied them,” Shearer wrote in his BBC column.

“Everything was different about Arsenal this time – in attack and defence, plus the way they controlled the game, and with their attitude and intensity. They ran out [as] comfortable winners.

“This Gunners side is not only bigger and stronger, it is also more committed. They were better in every department and dominated right from the start. [Brentford’s] two strikers, Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo, hardly got a kick because Gabriel and William Saliba dominated them so much, and it was the same all over the pitch.”

Shearer rates Arsenal’s title chances

Arsenal will play nine fixtures across the Premier League and Europa League in October after the international break.

“It’s not time to talk about them as title contenders yet, but people now know that this is a different Arsenal to the team we saw just 13 months ago,” Shearer added.

“It’s been a strange start to this campaign by some of the big clubs, with Liverpool being nowhere near the levels we know they can be. Chelsea have been the same, and they have had more upheaval after their change of manager.

“Manchester United made a really poor start too but they have recovered well, while Tottenham are still unbeaten and are right up there along with Manchester City, who are still the team to beat.

“I still think Arsenal’s main target is a return to the top four for the first time since 2016, and they have not done too much wrong so far.

“Their next two league games at the start of October, at home to Spurs and Liverpool, will tell us more about whether they can sustain this strong start but, right now, their fans will be enjoying what they are seeing.”