Patrick Vieira has rated Arsenal’s chances of beating Manchester City to the Premier League title and reaching the Champions League final.
Mikel Arteta still has a chance to oversee a sensational season at Arsenal despite the team’s recent wobble.
The Gunners were fighting for all four trophies just a matter of weeks ago but lost the Carabao Cup final to Man City before being knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton.
Arsenal have at least progressed to the semi-finals of the Champions League, beating Portuguese champions Sporting in the quarters, but suffered a blow in the title race in their last league lose, losing at home to Bournemouth.
That defeat, and Man City’s subsequent victory over Chelsea, means just six points separates the two teams at the top of the Premier League ahead of their huge clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal’s rigid style of play has been criticised heavily in recent weeks and Vieira believes his former club should at least try to be more dynamic as they chase a first league title since his time at the club.
While Arsenal wobble, Manchester City appear to be hitting top gear, thumping the Gunners in the Carabao Cup final and then putting seven goals past Liverpool and Chelsea.
The differing form of both teams has brought Man City right back into the title race but Vieira still believes Arsenal will get over the line and lift the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years.
‘I think they have to go back to what they were doing at the beginning of the season,’ Vieira said on CBS Sports. ‘I think they were quite clinical, playing forward, scoring goals and creating chances.
‘It’s true that at the moment they are a little bit too much on having the possession but there’s not the end product.
‘I believe that there is enough in that team to go to the final of the Champions League and even win the Premier League.’
As the last Arsenal captain to lift the Premier League trophy, Vieira was asked what advice he would have for the current crop of players.
‘I think I would remind them about what they’ve been doing since the first game of the season,’ he added. ‘I would remind them that the majority of the coaches and the teams will want to be in their shoes.
‘There’s a lot of managers and teams that will want to play a quarter-final of the Champions League and to be top of the [Premier] League.
‘It’s true that they’re having a really difficult run at the moment, there’s a lot of injuries, there’s players that are not at their best, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t win it.
‘I think they just need some really important players to drive the team, I think Gabriel can be one of these players and Declan Rice can be another one.
‘I don’t know how he [Rice] is in the dressing room but something I like on the field he is the engine of the team, the drive of the team.
‘I like seeing him going forward, making runs, I like to see him challenging for the tackles because when you win the ball in the midfield that shows to your teammates that you are present and what you need to do.
‘His natural leadership will be really important for the rest of the season.’
Gabriel Martinelli scored an injury-time equaliser as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Manchester City in the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium.