Online Reporter
WAYNE ROONEY reckons one of his former clubs will do Arsenal a massive title favour.
Manchester City have the chance to go top of the Premier League on goal difference by beating Burnley today after edging a tense head-to-head with Arsenal at the Etihad.
The fate of the trophy would then be decided by a vital five-game run-in, with City tackling a slightly tougher fixture list on paper.
One of City’s assignments is a trip to Rooney’s former club Everton on May 4.
The Toffees and Manchester United legend — admitting he “does not want Man City to win the league” — told the BBC‘s Match of the Day: “I think it will be tight.
“I think they are good fixtures for Arsenal and they will win all of their games.
“I think City’s fixtures are a little bit more difficult and I think Everton might take a couple of points off them.”
With Rooney predicting both sides to win all of their other games, a City draw at Hill Dickinson Stadium would see Arsenal dip over the line by a two-point margin.
The Gunners have lost their last four domestic fixtures, and fans are beginning to fear a re-run of the script that saw City chase them down in two of the last three seasons.
But Rooney has told the supporters projecting their nerves onto the players that they need to buck their ideas up.
He said: “The [Arsenal] fans have got a big role to play.
“In the last game against Bournemouth they were booing their players off the pitch.
‘‘They’ve been top of the league all season.
“I want Arsenal to win the league. I don’t want Man City to win the league.
“The Arsenal fans need to get behind their team and the importance of that is massive.
“The players will be nervous as well, they have got to show the players that they’re with them, give them their full support.”
Fellow MOTD pundit Danny Murphy suspects the margins will be even tighter.
He said: “I just think they’re going to be so focused now, both of them.
“They are two powerful teams with such an array of talent. I think they’ll win all their games and it’ll go to goal difference.” — Sun
