Former Arsenal Emmanuel Adebayor striker Emmanuel Adebayor believes Manchester City remain favourites in the Premier League title race, despite admitting he wants Arsenal to finally lift the trophy after more than two decades.
The title battle took another dramatic twist after Manchester City were held to an entertaining 3-3 draw away at Everton.
The result left Arsenal five points clear at the summit of the table as the campaign approaches its closing weeks.
Adebayor, who represented both Arsenal and Manchester City during his playing career, acknowledged the progress made by Mikel Arteta’s side this season.
The former forward praised Arsenal’s defensive improvement and their consistency in a campaign that has kept supporters dreaming of a first league crown in 22 years.
However, despite Arsenal’s advantage, the ex-Togo international believes City’s experience and mentality under Pep Guardiola could still prove decisive in the final stretch of the season.
“If you ask me today, I will still tell you I think Man City will win it,” Adebayor said per Metro.co.uk. “But I would like Arsenal to win it.
“They were fighting for it even when I was there. This year, they’re doing quite well. The good thing is defensively, they are very good. But now, they have to win the last three games to win the league.”
Arsenal supporters have watched their side come close in recent seasons, but the club has not celebrated a Premier League triumph since the famous “Invincibles” campaign of 2004 under Arsène Wenger.
This season, the north London side have once again emerged as genuine contenders, showing resilience and maturity during a tense run-in.
Their defensive solidity has become one of the defining features of the campaign, while key performances across the squad have helped maintain pressure.
Adebayor suggested that Arsenal’s growth has been years in the making. During his own spell at the club, the striker experienced several near misses in the league, and he believes the current squad is now closer than ever to ending the long wait for another domestic title.
The former striker also stressed that Manchester City’s slip against Everton should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.
Instead, he expects Guardiola’s side to respond strongly, as they have repeatedly done during previous title races.
“Man City dropping points against Everton, they will come back stronger,” he said.
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“They will manage with their manager, the excellent team they have, they will do everything possible to win the last three games and wait for Arsenal to drop points so they can be champions.”
Pressure builds in final weeks of the campaign
The Premier League title contest now appears set for a tense conclusion, with both clubs facing enormous pressure in their remaining fixtures.
Arsenal’s next assignment comes against relegation-threatened London rivals West Ham United, a match that could further strengthen their position at the top if they secure victory.
Before that, Manchester City welcome Brentford as they attempt to cut the deficit and keep the pressure firmly on the league leaders.
Adebayor believes neither side will find the closing stages straightforward. The psychological demands of a title race often become as important as quality on the pitch, especially when the margin for error becomes increasingly small.
“But trust me, it is not going to be an easy task for both of them,” he said. “For the first time, I wish Arsenal wins it because they have been working towards this for so long.”
