Gary Lineker makes Premier League title prediction as Arsenal chase Liverpool

Gary Lineker says it is ‘hard to envisage’ anyone but Liverpool winning the Premier League aft they extended their pb astatine the apical of the array implicit the weekend.

Arne Slot’s broadside looked acceptable to driblet points for the third crippled successful a row arsenic they struggled to interruption down a resolute Brentford broadside connected Saturday afternoon.

Any slip-up would person fixed a immense boost to Liverpool’s rubric rivals Arsenal, who were preparing to big Aston Villa aboriginal successful the day.

But the much-maligned Darwin Nunez came disconnected the seat to people 2 injury-time goals and springiness Liverpool a late and important triumph implicit a Brentford broadside who boast a superb grounds astatine home.

The time got adjacent amended for Liverpool arsenic Arsenal threw distant a two-goal pb astatine location to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa and gaffe further down the Premier League leaders.

The Reds present boast a six-point pb astatine the apical of the array and inactive person a crippled successful manus implicit Arsenal, against Merseyside rivals Everton.

Assessing the rubric contention connected The Rest is Football podcast, Premier League fable Alan Shearer said: ‘Is that it then, lads? Do you deliberation it’s Liverpool’s now? Was this the weekend?’

Fellow ex-England striker Lineker responded: ‘I deliberation it’s hard to envisage Liverpool letting this slip.

‘We cognize things tin happen, things tin change. But they’ve got a big, precise beardown squad, with replacements successful each position.

‘They’ve got a belief, a momentum and a manager who truly knows what he’s doing. It’s hard to spot truly due to the fact that who is going to travel from down and triumph astir each crippled which you would astir apt person to bash now?

‘I’d beryllium incredibly amazed if they don’t spell each the mode now. Arsenal person got a fewer cardinal players retired and Man City are excessively acold down adjacent if Liverpool were to gaffe up a bit.

‘It’s aboriginal to accidental the rubric contention is done – of people it’s not – but it’s Liverpool’s to lose.’

Following Arsenal’s gully with Aston Villa, Gunners brag Mikel Arteta said helium was ‘proud’ of his squad but admitted they were not bully capable defensively.

‘Pride [at] the mode the boys played and competed, the 3rd clip successful six days,’ Arteta said. ‘To present that dominance, that performance, they were outstanding.

‘We deserved overmuch more, that’s clear. The mode we defended, particularly the 2nd goal, can’t beryllium portion of our game.

‘Overall the connection is pridefulness due to the fact that they were exceptional. The mode they tried [was impressive].

‘There were players that were dormant and performed similar this for 97 minutes. They don’t look for excuses oregon to the seat looking what to do.

‘It was the champion crippled we’ve played against Villa since I’ve been here. They’re a bully side. In onslaught and defending, the level we’re playing is truthful high.

‘Something was missing. Today we cannot concede the 2 goals we did aft everything we did. That enactment is truthful thin. Credit to them arsenic well.’

Liverpool manager Slot, meanwhile, hailed his squad aft the ‘significant’ precocious triumph astatine Brentford.

‘During the play you’re hoping for these moments,’ helium told BBC Sport.

‘Many moments – we could person scored a precocious victor against United, Forest, Fulham. Today it worked. We managed to people successful the past fewer seconds.

‘We were adjacent to not getting what we deserved. The magnitude of chances we created was similar connected Tuesday against Forest – a lot.

‘We were adjacent to going disconnected without a win. That combined with a precocious victor is what we were astir blessed about. And it was a important game.’

For much stories similar this, check our athletics page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest quality connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Chelsea vs Wolves: Confirmed squad news, predicted lineup and injuries

MORE: Man Utd tipped to marque ‘two large signings’ and hijack Arsenal transfer

MORE: ‘I hated going backmost to Liverpool pursuing arguable Man Utd transfer’