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David Dein is hopeful that this could be Arsenal’s year in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein says Mikel Arteta has the ‘best squad’ in recent memory and the club have a ‘great chance’ to end their long wait for the Premier League title this season.
Arsenal approach the business end of the season in an immensely strong position, battling for honours on all four fronts after five years without any major silverware under Arteta.
In the Premier League, the Gunners sit five points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City at the summit having suffered a total of just three defeats across the campaign.
Arteta’s men also finished top of the Champions League group stage, meaning they enter as one of the two top seeds – along with Bayern Munich – ahead of Friday’s eagerly anticipated last-16 draw.
Questions were asked about Arsenal’s title credentials during a slight dip in results over a tricky winter period, and back-to-back draws away to Brentford and Wolves had some fans fearing the worst again – after three successive runners-up finishes.
But the league leaders came roaring back with an emphatic 4-1 victory in a one-sided north London derby last weekend, with Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres combining to torment Spurs at a subdued Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Arsenal will hope to tighten their grip on top spot when they return to action at home to another of their bitter rivals, Chelsea, on Sunday afternoon.
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Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Arsenal crushed Spurs to move five points clear at the top last weekend (Picture: Getty)
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Arteta boasts the finest Arsenal squad in recent memory, says Dein (Picture: Getty)
For many supporters celebrating Arsenal’s fabled ‘Invincibles’ season of 2003/04, it would have been unthinkable that the club would go trophyless in the top flight for another two decades.
But according to Dein, Arsenal’s vice-chairman between from 1983 to 2007, there is a strong chance the side’s barren spell will finally be brought to an end this year.
‘Well, they’ve got a great chance, haven’t they? They’re fighting on all four fronts and it’s in their hands,’ he said on talkSPORT.
‘They’ve got the best squad that I can remember for a long time, I think they’re well organised and they are difficult to beat.
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‘They’ve had a few blips but nothing goes in a straight line.
‘We were blessed with Arsene [Wenger] and the Invincibles in 2003/04 going the whole season unbeaten. By game eight this year, all the major teams had been beaten.
‘Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United, Manchester City… everybody had lost by game eight, not game 38. That shows how difficult it is to win the Premier League and to be invincible.’
Chelsea v Arsenal - Carabao Cup Semi Final First Leg
Arsenal welcome Chelsea to the Emirates for a huge London derby this weekend (Picture: Getty)
Dennis Bergkamp was, of course, a key part of the last great Arsenal team to lift the Premier League trophy 22 years ago, when Dein and Wenger were at the helm.
Speaking to Ian Wright on The Overlap earlier this month, the legendary Dutchman encouraged Arteta to take a leaf out of Wenger’s book by treating every game like a cup final.
‘The danger is that people start to talk about the last few seasons, and if you let that get to you, and you talk about it yourself, then the players will know,’ Bergkamp explained.
‘I know what Arsene always said… just take every game as a final, focus on the next game, that is the main thing now.
‘I wouldn’t be too worried because I don’t feel the other teams are strong enough at this moment, Manchester City may be coming back.
‘But I don’t feel that other teams could catch them because they’re going to drop points as well, I would just focus on your own squad. Plus, the big games are yet to come, the difficult period is yet to come.’
Will Arsenal win the Premier League title this season?
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