Gary Neville makes high-stakes title bet as Arsenal player of season picked out

04 March 2023 , 04:00

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The scheduling of this weekend's Premier League fixtures means Arsenal may have to respond to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners have a five-point lead over the defending champions, who can close the gap with victory over Newcastle in the lunchtime kick-off, two-and-a-half hours before Bournemouth visit Emirates Stadium. With 13 games remaining this season, every point is crucial in what is shaping up to be an enthralling title race, and Mikel Arteta will be confident his players can pick up three of them against the 19th-placed Cherries.

The latest Arsenal headlines feature Piers Morgan's lavish praise for one of Arteta's key men and Gary Neville's high-risk bet regarding the title race. All that and more in Saturday's Gunners round-up.

Morgan hails Zinchenko

Piers Morgan has named Oleksandr Zinchenko as his Arsenal player of the season, with the Ukrainian edging out Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard in his rankings.

Zinchenko, 26, arrived in north London in a £34million transfer from Manchester City last summer and has usurped Kieran Tierney as the Gunners' first-choice left-back. He is much more than a full-back for Mikel Arteta, though, and his tireless performances have set the tone for those around him.

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Morgan has been hugely impressed by the four-time Premier League winner - and is "excited" about the prospect of Arsenal winning the title this season.

Arteta gives Jorginho update

Jorginho has brushed off the illness which hindered him against Everton (Getty Images)

Jorginho needed to be taken off against Everton in midweek because he was suffering with illness, Mikel Arteta has admitted.

The Italian, 31, was substituted at half-time in the 4-0 victory over the Toffees after a poor performance. He will not have been helped by the illness he was battling, but he has recovered and could start his fifth consecutive game against Bournemouth this weekend.

Jorginho joined from Chelsea on a short-term contract for £12million in the January transfer window and has made five appearances for Arsenal, providing cover for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka in central midfield.

Read the full story here.

Neville makes title bet

Gary Neville has promised to pull on an Arsenal shirt bearing the word "champions" if the Gunners prove him wrong and win the Premier League title.

The former Manchester United defender has repeatedly stated that Manchester City will recover the points deficit to the north Londoners and lift yet another title come the end of the season. Understandably, this has riled up Arsenal fans, and one of them contacted Neville on Twitter to suggest he shaves his head if Arsenal win the league.

The popular pundit did not agree to those terms but instead vowed he would wear the shirt of his bitter rivals from his playing days if his prediction does not come to fruition. As part of the bet, Neville called on the Arsenal fan to wear a shirt saying "sorry Gary" if the Gunners fall short in the title race.