Arsenal have urgent transfer need to prevent Man City capitalising on unfair advantage.

I’ve heard say it has been a pivotal week in the title race, but I truly never saw it that way.

Yeah, it was a chance for Arsenal to extend their gap at the top with Manchester City away at Chelsea, but, honestly, even if Pep Guardiola’s team had lost, I would still have them down as favourites. The reason is simple: Arsenal don’t have a squad capable of winning the Premier League. That’s not meant to be harsh, or a criticism of individual players, it’s a basic fact of life.

They have a first XI that can match anyone, which is why they have a five-point lead at the top of the table. That could have been nine points had results gone the other way, but, even then, I would argue their squad isn’t strong enough to win it.

Don’t forget, despite being halfway through January by the time the next league games are played, we’re not even halfway through the season. This means one thing: a relentless programme.

The Europa League and Thursday nights makes that even more intense for Arsenal, and that is where squads are so important. Unfortunately for the title race, I don’t believe the Gunners have the depth required.

We all know City are capable of going on any sort of run required to win titles. Back in 2014 and Steven Gerrard’s slip, they lost one of their last 13. In 2018-19 they won their last 14 games straight. Fourteen! Last season, it was the same story: unbeaten in their last 12 matches. They know how to get across the line, even against such a ferocious opponent as Liverpool.

They also have what I have argued is an unfair advantage for the biggest clubs with the five substitutes rule. Let’s be totally honest about this, City’s £1billion squad is the greatest in football history, because they have the most money.

Look at the Chelsea game on Thursday when it was so tight. Their third sub was a £100m player in Jack Grealish who was Aston Villa’s best player. Their fifth sub was Leeds’ best player, Kalvin Phillips.

They have a squad where, when a player is injured, they have an alternative in every position who can come in and do the job to the same level. Sometimes, it’s hard to know what their best 11 is.

Arsenal don’t have that luxury. Struggling to break down Newcastle last week, they needed fresh impetus and inspiration, but made only one sub, and that a defender. There were no game-changers on an ordinary-looking bench.

I would argue that the five subs rule ridiculously favours the biggest clubs, and City are the biggest of the lot. I get the fact that players need protecting, but that protection should come from UEFA and FIFA.

If there are too many games, then the governing bodies need to reduce their international fixtures – and there are far too many competitions now – because the leagues are the bread and butter of football. And it’s in the best interests of the game to make those leagues as fair and exciting as possible.

It’s no coincidence that since City won the league in 2012, they’ve never finished outside the top four, and have been in the top two nine seasons out of 11, winning the title six times. When you can bring Phillips on as your fifth sub to see a game out, then you have an unfair advantage.

It’s also telling they’ve won just one FA Cup in that time – and no Champions Leagues – because in a one-off fixture, their advantage isn’t quite so acute.

There’s one other advantage City have: they strengthen when they’re on top. Their signings since getting beaten by Liverpool in the title race in 2020 have improved their squad beyond measure. They have a World Cup-winner, Julian Alvarez, who can’t even get a start.

You could argue that Liverpool just didn’t quite do the same over the same period, and that is costing them dearly now. And here’s the question for Arsenal. Is it time to gamble on improving their squad depth during this window, to try and provide the depth they will undoubtedly require in the coming months?

It’s a risk, sure. Clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool can’t compete financially with City, and they are rightly cautious about gambling their whole business model. Yet I’d say if you don’t try, then you’ll never know if it will come off, and now is the time for action at the Emirates.

I’d love to see another close title race like last year, but if Mikel Arteta isn’t given money to strengthen now, I fear it won’t happen.

SOURCE: MIRROR