Arsenal warned they are at risk of doing something their fans brutally mocked Tottenham for

Simon Jordan claimed Arsenal are in danger of being leapfrogged in the table by Manchester United, which would see them match a record Gooners brutally mock Tottenham for.

On Wednesday Arsenal suffered a bruising 3-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. The loss saw Pep Gurdiola’s side go top of the table on goal difference ahead of the Gunners, albeit having played a game more than Mikel Arteta’s side.

City have seized the initiative in the title race, with the Gunners now three games without a Premier League victory.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are just five points behind the top two and given their resurgence in form, there is a distinct possibility Arsenal could finish the season in third place.

In doing so they would match Tottenham’s seemingly impossible feat of finishing third in a 'two-horse race' for the title in 2016.

For the majority of that season, Spurs were battling Leicester at the top of the table. However, after drawing with Chelsea in the third last match, the Foxes were confirmed as champions.

Tottenham then went on to lose their last two outings, including an unfathomable 5-1 thrashing at relegated Newcastle, to allow Arsenal to sneak into second place.

‘Arsenal could finish third’

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan claimed Arsenal could be overtaken by Manchester United and finish third in the Premier League.

On TalkSPORT, Jordan said: “I thought the atmosphere was exhilarating – the Arsenal fans, the Arsenal players and the Arsenal manager are all aligned.

“No longer can you make allegations of the Emirates being a library, this is a proper football stadium and proper football fans getting behind their side. So the atmosphere, certainly when they got back in the game and equalised, it was absolutely off the charts – as good as you’ll see anywhere.

“But how much did the title pendulum swing back in City’s favour? I think probably quite a long way.

“I think ultimately Arsenal wouldn’t have needed to be so dependent on that result if they had taken care of Brentford and Everton perhaps the way they should have done.

“What you saw was a difference between two sides, one side carried an impending threat all the time through Erling Haaland and De Bruyne, and with the other side, at times Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli have done very well at this during the season, but they didn’t have the same threat.

“There was also a calmness about City, even when they were being put under pressure, and Arsenal were the architects of their own downfall from goals they conceded and the chances they missed.

“They were very much in this game. The second-half performance was a bit more dominant from City, but Arsenal had some real gilt-edged chances to score that they didn’t take.

“This is not the Man City side of previous years – they are not as good as they once were, they are not as sophisticated, as slick or as dominant of the ball.

“Some of that is down to Arsenal, but some of that is down to the fact Man City aren’t quite where they once were – not that Arsenal will want to hear that.

“There is no doubt in my mind watching Arsenal yesterday and the nature of the fans’ support that this is a side that will inevitably win the Premier League title in the next couple of years.

“They’re a good side, a good unit, a well-coached team, but I don’t think they will do it this season.

“And I think they might even get pipped by Manchester United for second spot.”

Topics: Football, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Premier League, Mikel Arteta, Leicester City

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.