{"id":2900,"date":"2026-03-09T10:48:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T10:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2900"},"modified":"2026-03-09T10:48:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T10:48:18","slug":"ray-parlour-makes-arsenal-title-claim-ahead-of-everton-clash-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2900","title":{"rendered":"Ray Parlour makes Arsenal title claim ahead of Everton clash | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Arsenal must be wary of straying into \u2018overconfidence\u2019, says club legend Ray Parlour (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ray Parlour says Arsenal must avoid becoming \u2018overconfident\u2019 ahead of their clash with Everton, warning Mikel Arteta\u2019s players a \u2018bad spell\u2019 could follow if complacency creeps in.<\/p>\n

Arsenal ensured they moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a nervy 1-0 victory away to Brighton last Wednesday night. <\/p>\n

Elsewhere, Elliot Anderson fired an unstoppable 25-yard strike beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma as second-placed Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw at home to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n

The Gunners have the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayer Leverkusen up next, before playing host to Everton in what promises to be a tricky match at the Emirates.<\/p>\n

The Toffees have won three of their last five matches in the English top flight entering Saturday\u2019s contest and it will be a case of master versus apprentice when David Moyes is reunited with Mikel Arteta on the touchline in north London. <\/p>\n

However, many Arsenal fans have already began to look ahead to April 19 when their side travel to City for has been billed as a potential title decider at the Etihad.<\/p>\n

Discussing Arsenal\u2019s title hopes heading into a crucial period, club legend Parlour said on talkSPORT: \u2018I\u2019m confident but I don\u2019t want to overshoot it.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"FBL-ENG-PR-BRIGHTON-ARSENAL\"\t<\/div>
The Gunners edged out Brighton in their last Premier League contest (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"West\t<\/div>
Arteta locks horns with his former manager Moyes this weekend (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I know Piers Morgan said they\u2019re going to win it in March, this, that and the other, but I don\u2019t want to be saying things like that because I know how hard it is and you could get a bad spell.<\/p>\n

\u2018But they\u2019re in a great position and sometimes you can be overconfident, can\u2019t you?\u2019<\/p>\n

Parlour defended Arsenal\u2019s tactics during the side\u2019s turgid clash with Brighton, after which Fabian Hurzeler took aim at David Raya and accused Mikel Arteta\u2019s men of \u2018time-wasting\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018We used to try and do it if we were leading or whatever, you\u2019ve got to try and see games out,\u2019 the ex-Arsenal and England midfielder explained.<\/p>\n

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\u2018The good thing about that game was that they weren\u2019t very good, they were poor as a team, but they won the game.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what it comes down to. You don\u2019t analyse every single game when you finish the season with the trophy in your hands, saying, \u201cRemember the Brighton game? We didn\u2019t play that well did we? We got lucky there\u201d, you just embrace the moment as champions of England.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s the most important thing so you can try any sort of tactics but I think it\u2019s a little bit unfair, all this talk of set-plays. Set-plays are part of the game!\u2019<\/p>\n

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According to Parlour, the weekend commencing April 11 \u2013 when Arsenal face Bournemouth and City take on Chelsea \u2013 could prove a \u2018defining moment\u2019 in this year\u2019s race for the Premier League title.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal play Everton at home and that\u2019s when Manchester City go to West Ham, which isn\u2019t an easy game. They\u2019re having a real battle at the moment,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n

\u2018And then, Arsenal have got Bournemouth at home at exactly the same time as Manchester City travel to Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\u2018So two home games from Arsenal\u2019s point of view and they\u2019re pretty strong at home and Manchester City are travelling away from home so that could be the defining moment, who knows?\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Parlour won three Premier League titles with the Gunners (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arsenal survived a second-half scare to overcome League One outfit Mansfield Town and secure their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the weekend.<\/p>\n

After Will Evans had cancelled out Noni Madueke\u2019s opener shortly after half-time, Eberechi Eze came on and scored what proved to be the winning goal with the standout moment of quality in the tie.<\/p>\n

\u2018It was a brilliant strike from Eze against Mansfield,\u2019 Parlour said of Arsenal\u2019s 2-1 victory at Field Mill.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Mansfield\t<\/div>
Eze came on and broke Mansfield hearts to send Arsenal through (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It was always going to be a difficult afternoon because of the pitch, they\u2019re not used to playing on pitches like that\u2026 no excuses.<\/p>\n

\u2018But I thought Mansfield were superb, I really thought they went out there, it was their cup final.<\/p>\n

\u2018It only takes a couple of players who don\u2019t fancy it. You know what it\u2019s like, different surroundings, not as nice as the Emirates and other grounds in the Premier League and that\u2019s when you can get beat.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve been in games myself\u2026 Port Vale back in 1998, we had Carlisle United back in 2001 and they\u2019re difficult games because they\u2019re right up for it and if you\u2019re not up for it, you get beat. It\u2019s as simple as that.<\/p>\n

\u2018So Arsenal did the job, they got the job done and now they can look forward to the draw.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Will Arsenal end their wait for the title this season?<\/h3>\n
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