Jamie Carragher insists that Man City striker Erling Haaland could be the biggest obstacle between Arsenal and winning the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in a tight affair on Sundaywith former Eagles man Eberechi Eze getting the goal to give Mikel Arteta’s side a crucial three points.

With Man City losing to Aston Villa on Sunday, Bournemouth are now Arsenal‘s biggest challengers in the Premier League with Andoni Iraola’s side four points behind the Gunners in second place.

Defending champions Liverpool also lost on Saturday with the Reds losing 3-2 to Brentford, their fourth Premier League defeat in a row, with Arne Slot’s side seven points adrift of Arsenal already.

Looking back on the weekend’s action, Carragher said on Sky Sports: “That’s the big difference to last season: whenever Liverpool dropped points, Arsenal didn’t capitalise.

“We highlighted on Monday Night Football last week that Arsenal won a game when Liverpool lost and they’ve done exactly the same again right now.

READ:?Two Arsenal players in Premier League XI of the season so far

“They’re in a great position. The only thing for Arsenal and the supporters, because they want the Premier League so much and it’s been so long for them, is that it almost feels like such a long wait until May.

“There’s a long way to go and things can go wrong, but right now, again I’ll reiterate it, the way the Premier League is this season in terms of long-throws, set-pieces, direct play, Arsenal are the best-equipped team to deal with that.”

Carragher was frustrated to see Crystal Palace forward?Yeremy Pino give away a “silly” free-kick to Arsenal to gift the Premier League leaders a chance to score.

The Liverpool legend added: “Don’t be giving away silly free-kicks if you come up against?Arsenal!

“We know the delivery is fantastic in Gabriel you’ve got someone who is really special at getting his head on it.

“It was a really silly foul on?Bukayo Saka?from Yeremy Pino. You don’t need to make the challenge there, he’s going away from goal, he’s about to pass the ball back.

“And then the delivery from?Declan Rice?is fantastic. They’ve got four giants at the back post but, again, it’s Gabriel and he does enough to make it difficult for [Ismaila] Sarr.

“That is what you call a fantastic finish from Eze. Eze didn’t have his best game today and it might have been a bit difficult for him, certainly mentally, coming up against his former team.”

Carragher reckons Arsenal’s dominance at set-pieces puts them in a brilliant position to win the Premier League this season.

He continued: “Where the?Premier League?is right now this season, it feels like we’re going to be talking about set-pieces a lot, every weekend and a lot on Monday Night Football.

“There is no team better in the league and primed to go on and win the Premier League if that’s where the league is going.

“I mentioned my own team in terms of?Liverpool?and they don’t seem to be able to cope.

“This Arsenal team has been built to cope in situations like this, in terms of the back four, the height of the team, the power that they get.

“For a long time, I’ve said that?Mikel Arteta?is trying to win the Premier League like a?Jose Mourinho?team… or, as we saw him in the stands today, a George Graham Arsenal team.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. The most important thing is winning and, right now, they look in a great position, certainly after the weekend’s results, to go on and win the Premier League.”

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Before Arsenal had edged out Crystal Palace on Sunday, Carragher claimed that Haaland – who has scored 11 goals in nine Premier League matches this season – could be their biggest obstacle to glory this season.

Carragher explained: “Arsenal came into this season worried about Liverpool being the major obstacle to ending a 21-year title wait. Now their biggest fear might be Erling Haaland.

“Where Arsenal have the best squad among the contenders and Liverpool must fix well-documented issues, Manchester City have the most influential player and dynamic attacker.

“The Norwegian is the biggest reason why Pep Guardiola’s side have a great chance of reclaiming their crown. Without him, City’s most realistic target would be finishing in the top four.”

Fellow pundit Gary Neville insists the Premier League title is now Arsenal’s to win this season after their early-season consistency.

Neville said: “They don’t need to do anything spectacular here. Just keep doing your jobs, keeping doing what you’re doing, and you will win this league.

“It’s yours to win. I’m not saying, ‘It’s yours to lose’, that would be applying pressure… it’s yours to win. This is your title, Arsenal.

“I’ve never really felt that sure before and it’s so early in the season.

“It’s madness for someone with the experience I’ve got of winning titles to say that, but it really is [Arsenal’s to win] and that’s not being overconfident for them or placing undue pressure on them.

“They must feel it themselves, the Arsenal fans must feel it and they must know that this is the moment that Arsenal can get back on top.”