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Gary Lineker has made a fresh Premier League title prediction after Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton.<\/p>\n
Everything was coming up roses for Arsenal<\/strong> in the first few months of this campaign as they set themselves up to challenge for an unprecedented Quadruple.<\/p>\n However, Mikel Arteta<\/strong>\u2018s side have endured a really tough couple of weeks, having lost the Carabao Cup final to Man City and the FA Cup quarter-finals to Southampton.<\/p>\n The Gunners should at least reach the Champions League semi-finals as they face Sporting Lisbon in the next round, while they are currently nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table.<\/strong><\/p>\n Man City do have a game in hand over Arsenal and the two sides play each other at the Etihad later this month, though Lineker is still backing Arteta\u2019s side to win the title.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a tough two weeks for Arsenal,\u201d Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.<\/p>\n READ: How Declan Rice\u2019s gypsy curse is responsible for Arsenal\u2019s ongoing trophy drought \u201cPeople are asking if they\u2019re panicking or if it\u2019s a crisis, it\u2019s definitely a little wobble.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously Gabriel went off with ice on his knee so that\u2019s a concern because he will be a big miss if he\u2019s out. The next game or two are hugely important for Arsenal, they need to steady the ship, there\u2019s no doubt about it.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got a huge lead in the title race but it\u2019s squeaky bum time. I think they will be fine, I think they will win the league, which will still be the main thing for them.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Champions League would obviously be an enormous bonus because it\u2019s a competition they\u2019ve never won.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty confident they will win the league. It\u2019s not a bad situation to be in, nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: \u2018Pathetic\u2019 Arsenal are handing domestic Treble to Manchester City Lineker has also explained why he thinks Arteta has shown signs of \u201cpanic\u201d in recent weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cSouthampton played exceptionally well and Arsenal were off it,\u201d Lineker added.<\/p>\n \u201cI do want to throw something out there and it\u2019s easy in hindsight but I thought there was a slight signal of panic when they withdrew so many players or the players themselves withdrew from international duty.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wonder if it showed a bit of panic when you need a bit of calm and confidence.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s easier to say that now but I just wonder if it showed us something because you wouldn\u2019t ordinarily do that.\u201d<\/p>\n READ NEXT: Ranking Arsenal\u2019s last seven PL games from easy to potential bottle job <\/div>\n
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