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Manchester United legend Gary Neville has said that Arsenal cannot squander their Premier League title hopes after being in a dominant position for much of the title race this season.<\/p>\n
The Gunners’ title hopes took a hit on Saturday following a 2-1 home loss to AFC Bournemouth. Viktor Gyokeres had cancelled out Eli Junior Kroupi’s early opener for the Cherries before Alex Scott bagged the winner 16 minutes from time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Thanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/template><\/p>\n Second-placed Manchester City duly capitalised on the league leaders’ slip-up, closing the gap to six points with a game in hand by winning 3-0 at Chelsea a day later. <\/p>\n Ahead of the Gunners visiting City in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday (April 19), Neville said that Mikel Arteta’s side must regroup quickly as they seek to end a 22-year league title drought.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/template><\/p>\n “I said a few months ago that Arsenal have to win this title from the position that they’re in, and I still believe they have to because it’s a long road back at the end of the season,” Neville wrote in his column for Sky Sports<\/a>. “If they don’t win it this year, it will really be traumatic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n He added:<\/p>\n “We know the build-up to the game next week, what the narrative is going to be against Arsenal – that Man City are going to catch you, and there seems to be a sense of joy watching Arsenal collapse. They’ve got to try and swim against the tide and hold their nerve.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n “But before next Sunday, they’ve got to find a balance of that emotion that you need, which is passion and fight to win a football match, but not becoming too desperate.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Gunners have reason to be wary ahead of their trip to the Etihad, as they haven’t won a league game there in 10 visits, losing seven, but have drawn the last two.<\/p>\n Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta didn’t mask his disappointment following the Premier League defeat at home to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, squandering a chance to go 12 points clear at the top.<\/p>\n Admitting that his side lacked fluency and struggled in defence, the Spanish boss said that his side lost to an in-form team but now need to react the right away ahead of a potential title decider at the Etihad on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“It’s a big punch in the face” – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after Bournemouth defeat<\/h2>\n
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