Former Manchester City and Arsenal star Bacary Sagna has claimed that he wants the Gunners to win the Premier League this season. He highlighted their squad depth and praised head coach Mikel Arteta, claiming he "deserves" to win.
The north London side has finished second in the last three seasons in the Premier League standings. However, they sit atop after 28 games this campaign, five points above Manchester City, who have played 27 games. The two sides are also scheduled to face off at the Etihad in April.
Meanwhile, Bacary Sagna, who played for both sides, has said that he wants the Gunners to win the Premier League over Manchester City. He told Ladbrokes (h/t Metro):
"Mikel Arteta is the man for the situation Arsenal are in right now. When you see that Arsenal have finished second for the past three years, anyone who has played in the Premier League knows how difficult it is to maintain that level, and keep fighting for titles, over such a long period of time."
"Man City, for those first couple of seasons, were out of reach, due to the depth of their squad. Arsenal have been able to build up slowly and add depth with every transfer window, and this is why they’re now in the position they’re in. In previous years, if one player from the starting eleven was injured, it would have a huge impact on the team, and on results. But now, there is cover in every position, and so much quality on the bench."
Sagna explained that he and his family have an affinity towards the Gunners, adding that he would like to see a different winner than Manchester City. He said:
"If I had to choose one of them to win the league this season, I might go for Arsenal, because Man City have won it so many times over the last few years, and it won’t change anything for them, for me they will still remain the best team in the world over the past five years. So, I would like to see a change, and I would like to see Arsenal finally rewarded for a lot of hard work that’s gone into the last few years."
"Those fans have shown me a lot of love, and so I want to see them celebrating at the end of the season. And then I’ll go back to 55% Arsenal, 45% Man City!" he added.
Sagna joined the Gunners from AJ Auxerre in 2007 and recorded 284 appearances for them, winning the FA Cup. He then joined Manchester City on a free transfer in 2014 and made 86 appearances in three years for them, winning the EFL Cup.
Bacary Sagna heaps praise on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, hoping he beat Manchester City in PL title race
Bacary Sagna also lauded the Gunners' squad depth. He praised head coach Mikel Arteta and former sporting director Edu for the work they've done in the last few years. He especially praised Arteta and said that his side "deserves" to win the Premier League over Manchester City.
Sagna said:
"I’m praying for him to win the league this year, honestly. He deserves it because of the way he treats people. He treats people equally and gives people opportunities. Whether it’s on or off the pitch, he gives people the chance to bring something else to the game."
"He has a human side that not many people have. Pep [Guardiola] has a human side too, even when people are criticising him, Pep has a big heart. But Mikel is the same," he added.
Notably, Sagna and Arteta shared the pitch 83 times at Arsenal, combining for one goal. The former fullback then played for Manchester City, Benevento, and FC Montreal before retiring in 2020.