Alan Smith says two transfers could cost Arsenal the Premier League title: ‘I’m worried’ | Football

Alan Smith is worried that Manchester City’s January transfer window business could cause problems for Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta’s side had the opportunity to move eight points clear at the top of the table after City were held to a 1-1 draw against Brighton on Wednesday.

But the Gunners were unable to break down a dogged Liverpool side, drawing 0-0 at the Emirates on Thursday.

Arsenal are still six points clear at the top, with Roy Keane suggesting Arteta’s side remain ‘red-hot favourites’ to win the club’s first league title since 2004.

But Smith has a nagging suspicion that Pep Guardiola’s side could come on even stronger in the second half of the season.

In particular, the former Arsenal striker fears that the signing of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, as well as the rumours linking City with a move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, would make City a far more formidable force for the rest of the campaign.

‘It’s enough at the moment but there’s still a lot of games,’ Smith told the In the Mixer podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, when asked about Arsenal’s six-point lead.

‘I’m a bit worried about Manchester City, bringing in Antoine Semenyo and if they can get Marc Guehi.

‘I don’t like that at all, because as City are at the moment, Arsenal are better in terms of their squad.’

Smith added: ‘Arsenal are doing the necessary at the moment. If City are breathing down their necks with four or five games to go, how are Arsenal going to handle it? That is one question.

‘But I do think Arsenal are mature enough now to be in that position and handle the pressure, but we will see.’

Elsewhere, former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson is fearful that Viktor Gyokores’ slow start to life in the English top-flight could come back to cost the Gunners at the business end of the season.

‘I don’t think Arsenal have a natural goalscorer,’ Merson said on Sky Sports. ‘Gyokeres has come in and is supposed to be that player, but I don’t think he’s a natural goalscorer.

‘He’s never tapping balls in, he’s not got a lot of goals, full-stop. When it gets down to those last eight games, and it gets so nervy, you might need that something out of nothing.’

Gyokeres had just eight touches against Liverpool before subbed off in the 64th minute with Gary Neville labelling the Swede’s performance as ‘really poor’.

‘He’s been ineffective, and that’s being kind. It’s a really poor night from him, he offered nothing,’ the former Manchester United defender said on Sky Sports.

‘Look, there’s not getting service and then there’s getting involved in the game and doing more – and he needed to do more.’

Both Arsenal and City are in FA Cup third-round action this weekend, taking on lower-league opposition in Portsmouth and Exeter City, respectively.

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