Arsenal have taken the Premier League this season by storm. The North Londoners have amassed 47 points from the 18 matches they've played and sit 8 points ahead of defending champions Manchester City. Their win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur cemented them as odds-on favourites to win the league, a feat that has eluded them since the 2003/04 season.
FindMyCasino.com spoke with former Arsenal and Manchester City great Bacary Sagna in an exclusive interview to talk about the Gunners' scintillating run so far. We also asked him about the prospects of other title favourites, and which of his former clubs he thinks will go on to win the title. The ex-player also shared his thoughts on Liverpool and Chelsea's faltering season.
Q: Arsenal won at Spurs for the first time since 2014 when you played and Arteta captained the Gunners to a 1-0 win. How big a win was this for Arsenal in their hopes of winning the title?
Sagna: Sunday (15th January) was vital. It was a statement win. It’s never easy to play Tottenham, they have very good players, and it’s an amazing stadium with an amazing atmosphere. There was also pressure to deal with because City had lost. And when I look back at my time, too often when we had to step up and win, we didn’t. But against Spurs, Arsenal did.
What impressed me the most was the confidence they had in playing their own football. They totally deserved to win. They outplayed Tottenham from start to finish and created many chances. They played as a team and won the physical battle too. They won the second ball and it demonstrated how they have been playing all season. It’s a really impressive way to increase the points difference to City - eight points which is amazing.
Q: Were you surprised how dominant Arsenal were in the first half?
Sagna: I wasn’t surprised at all. I spent some time with the squad in Dubai when they came over in December and I noticed the intensity in training sessions - it shocked me. I even wondered if in my time we had put in that much intensity, but on reflection I don’t feel we did.
The players are very demanding of each other and every detail is so important to the coaches. They don’t leave any gaps defensively, they are all defending as a team and build up from the back. They always made the right choice at the right moment and didn't overplay. When it’s not possible to play, they clear the ball. But even when they clear the ball it’s with an idea. It’s never random and they try to play with something in mind. It’s the best Arsenal I’ve seen since my side in 2007-2008.
Q: Who was the standout performer for you from the Arsenal side yesterday?
Sagna: Ramsdale had a terrific game - he made some vital saves at key moments. The save against Son just after Arsenal had scored was huge and every time he was called into action and needed to make a presence for himself he did it. He made the defence feel more secure. This is when it’s important to have a good goalkeeper - a good keeper can give you 10-15 points a season. It was a statement from him.
I was also impressed by Odegaard yet again. The way he organises the game and the way he plays.
The defenders impressed me as well, even knowing that they’re coming up against very good attackers in Kane and Son. Tottenham's attackers didn’t have much impact, even Son looked almost lost at times. He couldn’t keep the ball and often played it out because he was under pressure. When Arsenal lost the ball the first men there were the strikers - Nketiah and Martinelli were impressive.
Saka was shining every time he had the ball and watching him was a treat. He required extra attention and it led to others having more space.
Partey plays like he’s in his garden! Xhaka is so important in organising the game, defensively and always being in the right place at the right time. Zinchenko is technically one of the best left backs in Europe.
Arsenal stepped up at the right time and they have been doing it all season. It’s not a surprise that they’re 8 points ahead because they are the best team this season. Two years ago I said I think they will be champions and I hope I am proven right.
Q: Last May you said you felt Arsenal could win the title within two seasons and this felt, to many, optimistic. What gave you such confidence, which if nothing else, so far this season has proved that Arsenal can certainly compete?
Sagna: Every time I’ve spoken about them it has been objectively. In the past, they were struggling because they couldn’t find stability.
I remember once saying that the club looked like a circus and I got lots of stick from the fans. But at the time it didn’t have stability. We didn’t know who was leading, who was the manager (after Unai Emery left) and it was a bit of a mess. I got lots of criticism for saying that.
If you think about now - how the club runs, the strategy they have, the way they are building the team, it’s very impressive. The whole time they maintain their idea and don’t lose themselves, they have cool heads and cool minds. The way they didn’t offer more money for Mudryk shows this. A lot of the time you’ll see many clubs will add the extra money but Arsenal had a strong position and kept it. Maybe they didn’t get the player, but the team is more important than one player. They won’t sacrifice everything for one player.
When you see the club at the beginning of last season (Arsenal opened with three defeats) you can’t understand it as a fan, but I know Mikel. I know he will do everything to build the team. I saw him every day at training, playing with him and working with him. I know his mentality and I know he wasn’t going to accept they were not good enough. He knows there is more to come from every player, but it’s daily work, it’s not just from this season. They have been working really hard for a couple of years to reach the level they are at now, it doesn’t happen overnight.
They deserve a lot of credit for the way they are playing and the consistency they are showing. For me, they're going to be Champions. They have another important game on the weekend and I think they will do well again.
Q: You mentioned it’s the best team since 2007-08, what do you think that team lacked (if it did) that this team has, if they are to go on to win the title?
Sagna: Consistency. It felt like whenever we had to step up and win important games we didn’t. This season they are doing it. No matter who they're facing they play the same with the same confidence. Even when they concede they don’t panic, they keep playing the same, keep doing the basics and that is a sign of amazing teams.
Barcelona were the same. No matter who they faced they always played the same, whether it was big derbies or big Champions League games - they always came back. I think this is a scary Arsenal now. They're dedicated and you know they won’t let it slip. As a team they are one.
Q: Gary Neville said after the game yesterday, that he still believes both Manchester clubs will finish above Arsenal. Are you surprised to hear that?
Sagna: That’s his opinion. He has his own point of view but there is a difference between his point of view and what I believe will become reality. This season Arsenal have been the best and most consistent team.
Manchester United and Manchester City have two important games coming up. I don’t see United finishing in front of Arsenal. They have improved but Arsenal are better and have been the best team all season - Pep will agree with that! He’s been saying they are difficult to catch and they will be.
This weekend Arsenal have an important game and again they will have to show that they're strong but I’m not worried about that.
Q: The bookmakers now, after this weekend, for the first time this season, have Arsenal as favourites to win the League. Do you believe they will go on to do so?
Sagna: I think so! They have all the ingredients to be champions. Most importantly the way they play. The mentality Arsenal start every game with, the consistency they have and the trust they show in their own play is great. They don’t concede many chances and when they do, in Ramsdale they have a goalkeeper that can stop the other team from scoring.
They have all the signs of champions.
Q: I just want to get some thoughts on Tottenham, were you disappointed?
Sagna: I was surprised because it was a home game for them and the right game for them to step up. They are always battling for Champions League places. They have improved a lot on the infrastructure with an amazing training ground and new stadium. I was expecting them to play better and be better as a team and that was the difference yesterday
All they had was momentum. They did create chances but it came from individual creativity rather than team play. They were facing the best side in the League. It’s so difficult to play against Arsenal and that’s not just my feelings as a former Arsenal player - everyone is saying it.
Mikel has managed to build not only a team, but a family. I spoke to different staff at the club. He trusts the people that were there before he arrived and he is teaching them every day. You feel the love around the club and when you feel that, not only the players, but everyone involved is fighting. It may be 11 players on the pitch but the feeling from those guys and the fans is amazing.
Q: On Hugo Lloris, he was at fault for the first goal and has a contract until the end of next season, do you think this might be his last season in the Premier League?
Sagna: I don’t think so, every goalkeeper makes mistakes. Unfortunately it happened in the wrong game. But it’s part of the game and maybe his confidence is a little low, especially after losing the World Cup Final.
But he has quality and has always shown that, I’m sure he will work really hard to get back to his best. You cannot judge him based on three or four mistakes in one season because it wouldn’t be fair. This is why being a goalkeeper is so hard, people just focus on the few mistakes whilst he’s been amazing for years. It’s unfortunate that he was to blame for the first goal, but it doesn’t take away from all the good work he has done over the seasons.
He is a professional and I’m sure he knows what to do and will work even harder to get back to his best. I wouldn’t write him off, it’s the right time for him to work even harder rather than dropping his head and being affected by the critics, but it’s part of the game. I’m sure today he’s having a bad day but he will until the next game comes. When the next game comes I’m sure he will use it to try and forget what happened.
But he is not the only one to blame. Of course he made a mistake but behind that, how did the team react? It’s not one person. That’s probably when fans are harsh because they will blame him but the team had a long time to react and didn’t.
This is about perspective. I’m sure he’ll get back to his best.
Q: You recently said you were convinced that Mudryk would come to Arsenal, why do you think he chose Chelsea?
Sagna: I don’t think he decided to go to Chelsea. They offered so much more money to Shakhtar, that even if he had a will to go to Arsenal… money talks. That's the football business and I’m sure his club said to him “either you go to Chelsea, or you stay with us.” So the decision was taken out of his hands. Shakhtar will not turn down £100m, so as much as he may have wanted to go to Arsenal, money talks.
He's in Ukraine and has dreams to play in the Premier League, and Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world coming in for you, it’s not a bad club to go to! But ultimately I don’t think he had the final say.
Q: Do you expect Arsenal to strengthen the squad before the end of January? The chase for Mudryk would indicate they have a budget.
Sagna: They do want to strengthen and will, sooner or later. But before buying other players, I think we need to give credit to Eddie Nketiah. His style is different to other strikers, he’s probably not as tall as other strikers, maybe not as skilful but he is doing a great job.
No one expected him to be in the starting line up for so long and we can trust him, we have to trust him. Sometimes you need more games to score more goals and be more clinical, but he is doing well and can do even better. He needs time. He’s been on loan a lot, he’s been criticised and people have to stop criticising and get behind him before looking elsewhere.
Confidence is a big thing in football and I’m sure if he feels the love, rather than critics, it could help him a lot. Every time he plays he is playing with that pressure. If he doesn’t score he gets critics saying “we don’t have a striker” but you should appreciate the effort he puts in and the way he played yesterday. He didn’t lose the ball in the first half, he won many free kicks and was an option for the defenders. Of course people will judge his efficiency in the box, but how easy does he make the defenders' lives when they are under pressure because his teammates always manage to find him? He’s not tall but he gets in between the lines, plays with others and keeps the ball.
Q: Do you think Arsenal will sign someone else this window?
Sagna: They will want to sign someone, but it’s to make the squad stronger. There are lots of games to play and everyone will be needed and they need to cover any potential injury. It would be a big addition to have someone at the club.
Q: This was probably the biggest statement win that Man United have had under Ten Hag. Did you think that it was a fair result?
Sagna: The first goal is 100% offside. People who have played football know it’s offside. Rashford is interfering with the play and Man City’s centre backs positions are based on Rashford’s, which is blocking Ederson's line of sight to the ball. United fans will say it isn’t offside because they scored and benefited from the decision but every single player knows it’s offside. Being a referee isn’t like being a player. It’s offside 200% and, for me, a draw would’ve been a fair result.
Q: Were you surprised that VAR gave the goal?
Sagna: Being a player gives you a different perspective because you’ve been part of the game. A player can look at one tackle or incident and know whether it’s deliberate or not. A player knows where to position themselves with respect to opposition. Being a referee is totally different to being a player. They don’t see incidents the same way players do and so what would help VAR is to have former players behind it. The results and feedback would be completely different.
But VAR isn’t something I like - just because you have the tools doesn’t mean you’re necessarily going to use them correctly and that’s the perfect example. If you have the tools, you need to have people that can use those tools better - someone who doesn’t just watch the incident but can analyse it too and then get it right. But again, that offside call was the perfect example as it had a massive effect on the match.
Q: After the game, Pep’s comments seemed to suggest he feels Manchester City can’t win the title, by saying “I don't care about the Premier League - we CANNOT win': Do you believe he will really think that or is he playing mind games?
Sagna: I think how he feels is realistic. He’s probably thinking about the individual mistakes they’ve made because, this season, the biggest chances against them have been from individual mistakes. He knows their quality and he trusts his players but he knows in order to be champions you can’t make so many individual errors. The second goal Manchester City conceded surprised me. It didn’t feel like there was much danger, but United recovered and countered well, and City switched off.
Q: Given the deeper squad Pep has were you surprised to see him only make one substitute on Saturday?
Sagna: No, because he’s always reacting to the state of the game and he probably thought no one on the bench could change the game. He’s always thinking about what to do and maybe in this case he thought his team on the pitch could get back into it. Sometimes being a coach is about having a feeling and coaches aren’t always right. But I’m sure if things had worked out better for them everyone would have praised him for only making one sub.
Q: Arsenal have very limited options off the bench at the moment, Manchester City have so many. Does it make Pep’s job harder having such a large squad with so many options?
Sagna: The only negative of having many players with a lot of quality is that you have to maintain their mentality. The advantage with less depth is that they have to go every three days and there’s nothing to think about, they have to go for it. At City they don’t know whether they’re going to play so they have to stay motivated even if they’re on the bench for a game or more. So mentally, it’s not easy. I’ve been there before where I thought I’ve played well but I’m on the bench. Sometimes I thought I played less well but I was still playing so it’s tricky honestly.
Q: Manchester City have chopped and changed so regularly at Centre Back this season, with 11 different combinations. Has that impacted them?
Sagna: No I don’t think it has impacted them because they control the ball most of the time, their games are usually lost on counter attacks. Forget about the game this weekend where they switched off and lost focus but they had 71% possession. When they lost against Brentford it was from two counter attacks. The loss against Liverpool came from their own corner and then Liverpool counter attacked and scored. It’s not about how the team played, it’s about individual mistakes. But against United they played well and managed to create chances; unfortunately they conceded and when you concede you have to reset because the other team is going to attack and this is also the time when you can become vulnerable.
Q: As things stand, do you feel now Manchester City will regret selling Zinchenko and Jesus to Arsenal?
Sagna: No, because the Manchester City team is constantly changing and improving. Before selling Zinchenko, they knew his quality. It’s not about them selling Zinchenko to Arsenal - Arsenal have become a better team for several reasons. The togetherness they are showing, and the football they’ve been playing has been equal to Manchester City. But Arsenal have conceded less goals (Arsenal have conceded 14 League goals against City’s 18). Defensively they’ve been solid and they always create chances with Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah and Odegaard.
Q: Can Man City still be Premier League Champions?
Sagna: I wouldn’t write them off. I believe Arsenal will be champions but you know how football is. This weekend we have Arsenal playing against United so if they happen to lose and City win, then they will be back in the competition because they still have to play each other twice in the League. If they win twice against Arsenal, they’re back in the race so they will keep focussing on themselves, not Arsenal. From the Arsenal perspective, they know they’ll be under pressure until the end of the season. And Arsenal will deal with the pressure.
Q: Liverpool were well beaten by your old manager De Zerbi and his Brighton side this weekend. Can Liverpool still make the Champions League spots?
Sagna: They cannot make the Champions League this season because there are too many teams ahead of them with more belief. Mentality is crucial and they have less confidence than before. Before, they were scary because they were clinical going forward - one chance with Salah, Mane or Firmino and it was a goal. This season they have a few changes so you can see how hard it is to keep the same level of quality every single game, especially when you’re in the Champions League. But they deserve a lot of credit because they had a young team they won the CL and even reaching the final before was impressive.
Q: Your former teammate Alex Oxlade Chamberlain has started four Premier League games for Liverpool for the first time in almost three years. Are you pleased to see him playing after so many injury issues? What do you make of his current contribution to the Liverpool side?
Sagna: He joined one of the best teams in the league. When you leave Arsenal and join another big club you’re going to have competition. He probably went out of his comfort zone which you can respect. Unfortunately he had a really bad injury and it’s so hard to get back to your best, you can need one year after an injury to get back into shape. Slowly he’s getting back into it and will play more. We’ll get to see him back to his best, hopefully this season but probably next season.
Q: You’ve spoken previously of the difficulties of a first season at a club like Manchester City and the challenge of adapting. Kalvin Phillips has had a difficult start to his City career. Do you believe he can turn his time at the club around?
Sagna: It’s difficult to join a club as big as Man City. You have top international players ahead of you. It’s always easy to criticise, to say he should have stayed. But he went to a better team so naturally he has to compete every week against better players. I respect his decision, I’m sure that he can turn the situation around and start playing more. Maybe not this season but next, as he'll have a full preseason behind him which is good. He came late because he went to the finals of the Euros with England and when you miss preseason it’s difficult to catch up. It was similar to me when I joined City - I came after they won the League so it was difficult for me to catch up.
Q: Arsenal have conceded 14 goals all season, Manchester City 18 yet Newcastle just 11. Who do you feel has the strongest defence in the League?
Sagna: Arsenal. All of the Arsenal defenders could play in the middle of the field. They are very confident on the ball and they all have composure. Ben White at right back is very comfortable with the ball and never loses it. The two centre backs are rocks. Saliba had to move on loan when he first arrived, but it was a clever move for him because he got to show that he’s a top quality defender. And they have Gabriel who for me is probably one of the defenders of the season. And, of course, Zinchenko. When you see him play, he’s not thinking about the pressure. He’s having fun and just wants to play football and win.
Q: Manchester City face Spurs on Thursday night at the Etihad. Both arrive on the back of defeats to their rivals. What do you expect to happen on Thursday night?
Sagna: I think City will win because they will be upset by how they lost against Man United. They went to sleep during that game and that will inspire them for this match. They’ll prepare well and I believe they will bounce back from the defeat.
Q: Arsenal welcome Manchester United on Sunday in another huge game. Do you still feel Manchester United are in the title race? What do you expect from the match?
Sagna: United are in the title race. Both Arsenal and United have to win the game. Moreso, United have to win it to make sure they’re on the right track. They have to step up and win. It’ll be a massive game and it’s very important for Arsenal because they want to extend the gap and make sure they’re heading into the City game in a comfortable position. If they beat United at home and then Man City at home, that would be absolutely huge and would put them on the right track to win the title.
Q: Liverpool face Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime. Two teams that are well below par. What’s your expectation for the game and for where they will both end the season?
Sagna: Liverpool need to show something different from the past weekend. The pressure is on them because Chelsea already have had a bad season. The pressure is on Liverpool at home but I expect Liverpool to win.
Q: For what the data experts qualify as a ‘big chance’ Nunez has the most misses so far this season in the Premier League (15), the next being Haaland on 12. How do you assess his impact on the Premier League?
Sagna: It’s been a difficult first season. For some South American players it can be hard for them to shine in their first season. That was the case most of the time. After that they manage to be some of the best strikers, so I’m not worried for him. But it’s not been the best season for him and at times it has been difficult for him to adapt.
