Sol Campbell believes victory at Anfield on Sunday will all but seal the Premier League title for Arsenal.
The Gunners have recovered from February’s defeat against Manchester City to open up an eight point lead over the champions on the back of an impressive seven-match winning streak.
City have the opportunity to cut that gap to five points with a victory over bottom of the table Southampton on Saturday and pile the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side ahead of their Anfield acid test.
Arsenal haven’t won in the red half of Merseyside since Arteta was still a vital part of Arsene Wenger’s midfield engine room but will travel to an unhappy hunting ground in justifiably confident mood.
And Campbell believes there are echoes of Arsenal’s previous title-winning campaign when a win over Liverpool, albeit at Highbury, during the run-in gave the Invincibles the belief they would end the season triumphantly after their confidence had been rocked by Champions League and FA Cup defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Manchester United.
‘When we were 2-1 down at half-time you could sense a nervous tension among fans — particularly on the back of two draws and two defeats beforehand,’ Campbell told The Sun reflecting on one of the standout games of Wenger’s entire reign. ‘But by the end Highbury was really rocking.
‘Going into this match we were four points ahead of second-placed Chelsea and felt confident we were in the driving seat with eight games left.
‘However, after this 4-2 win I genuinely think we all finally felt for the first time the title was in our grasp.
‘Fast forward 19 years and I think Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in the same mindset going into tomorrow’s game against, of all teams, Liverpool, on the same date.
‘The progress they have made in 12 months — after missing out on a top four place a year ago — has been the story of the season.
‘A combination of outstanding player recruitment, a brilliant start to the season — with five wins in a row — and then reeling off their last seven Prem wins on the spin.
‘Even Pep Guardiola has admitted he would rather be in Arsenal’s position right now — because it’s the Gunners’ title to lose.
‘I do believe that if they win at Liverpool tomorrow it would take something absolutely catastrophic for Arsenal not to be lifting the Premier League trophy at the end of next month.’
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