Former Chelsea and West Ham star Joe Cole has predicted who will win the Premier League this season, as the title race begins to build a head of steam for both Arsenal and Manchester City
08:00, 10 Feb 2026
Former footballer Joe Cole attends the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St. James's Park in Newcastle, United Kingdom, on December 20, 2025. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Joe Cole has commented on the Premier League title race(Image: Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Joe Cole has named five players who could drag Arsenal over the line in the title race. The Gunners have established a six-point cushion at the top of the table, and they'll be looking to extend that lead when they face Brentford at the G-Tech Community Stadium on Thursday night.
Speaking to football.london ahead of this week's Premier League fixtures, which will be broadcast on TNT Sports and discovery+, the Chelsea legend tipped Arsenal to win their first English top flight title in 22 years.
Cole said: "I think you've got to look at the experienced players: Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, [William] Saliba, Gabriel [Magalhaes] – the spine of the team.
"They’re a youthful team, Arsenal, but they're a team now with, not experience of winning, but they’ve experienced everything else in football, apart from the one thing that they crave, which is putting trophies on the table.
"I think that the spine of the team needs to step up. Gabriel Jesus is coming back into it. He knows what winning looks like. He's going to be important. I look at them, and I don't think there's a fallibility to them anymore. I think that's been ironed out."
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Manchester City were given a huge boost to their hopes of winning the Premier League on Sunday evening, coming from behind to defeat Liverpool. Erling Haaland fired his side to victory, helping Pep Guardiola win his first-ever game in front of a crowd at Anfield.
The Spaniard's only other victory at the ground was in an empty stadium during COVID. While Manchester City managed to keep their title dreams alive, Cole still believes Arsenal will crown themselves champions of England in May.
"My prediction is that Arsenal will win the league, but it’ll be by fewer than six points," said the TNT Sports pundit. "Manchester City will start clawing them back now, but Arsenal, they have to do it at some point.
Mikel Arteta reacts
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will not have liked the sight of Man City beating Liverpool (Image: Getty Images)
"They’ve had exposure to failure in the last two or three years, where they’ve done so well, and it’s slipped. I just can’t see them making the same mistake again. I think they’ll do it, but it’ll be by fewer than six points."
Cole showered Arteta with praise, having transformed the north Londoners into one of Europe's most feared clubs. He continued: "I think they’ve been brilliant.
"Mikel Arteta hasn’t had as much credit as he deserves. His journey, taking this club on, the way he’s dealt with it. I think if he wins the league this year, and I think they will, I think he steps into that top manager category.
William Saliba for Arsenal against Chelsea
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William Saliba has been crucial for Arsenal this season(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
"I think he’s been brilliant. It’s how a football club should be run. From the team on the pitch, the squad," added Cole. "They hire players to fit their system to win games of football, and everything else around the club revolves around that.
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"So, I think Mikel Arteta has been absolutely brilliant, and it’s painful to say, but you have to say what you see; it’s such a well-run club, well-oiled machine."
This week's midweek Premier League fixtures will all be broadcast on TNT Sports and discovery+
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