Michail Antonio has labelled Arsenal fans who believe they are destined to win the Premier League title this term as "deluded".
For the second year running, the Gunners are in pole position at the Premier League summit heading into the final weeks of the campaign ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool. It remains to be seen, though, if Mikel Arteta's side will be able to see the job through after fading away late last year.
Arsenal are ahead of Liverpool on goal difference after the Reds drew with Manchester City last weekend. That result has fuelled both the excitement and belief of a fanbase which last saw their team win the title two decades ago.
But Antonio has had some fun at the expense of Arsenal fans, with the West Ham striker questioning them during the latest episode of The Footballer's Football Podcast. He quipped: “Arsenal fans, they annoy me.
“I'm talking about my agent my family and my friends. Because as soon as they are tiptoeing close to [winning] anything, they're the best team in the world.
Premier League odds and betting tips'It's actually unbelievable how delusional these people are! Last year when we beat Arsenal at home when they were top of the league my agent called me up and called me a wasteman!”
Arsenal dropped points against the Hammers, Liverpool and Southampton to concede their advantage to Manchester City in last year's title race. Pep Guardiola's side are still the favourites to retain their domestic crown despite Arsenal's league position.
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While Antonio feels some Arsenal fans have jumped the gun in the wake of their current standing in the league, he did dish out some praise to Arteta's men. He's been impressed by the manner in which they've bounced back from last year's title loss - even if he doesn't seem completely convinced they will see the job through.
Antonio added: “I’ve been saying since the turn of the year City are doing it, but how Arsenal have been performing, they have become the City of the last three years, since the turn of the year.
“They have done the complete opposite of what they did last year when they started the season until December, bossing it, and then, turn of the year, crumbled. Whereas they’ve come to the business end of the year, and they have completely and utterly turned it on.”
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