Lescott tips Arsenal to retain Premier League title this season

Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has selected Arsenal to win the Premier League this season, despite acknowledging the challenge of securing the title in consecutive campaigns. Arsenal enter the season as champions after finishing seven points clear of Manchester City last term.

Lescott believes the reigning champions have an advantage because Mikel Arteta has kept continuity within the squad. He also considers the players’ growing confidence an important factor in Arsenal’s bid to remain at the top of English football.

The former City defender said his view is based on the obstacles facing the leading contenders. In his assessment, Arsenal currently have fewer barriers in their way than their rivals, although he stressed that the campaign is still at an early stage.

Arsenal’s previous title success gives them the status of the team to beat, but repeating the achievement would bring a different test. Lescott’s experience of English football has led him to place particular weight on how difficult it is for champions to immediately defend their crown.

His prediction therefore rests less on a change in Arsenal’s squad than on stability. Arteta’s continued work with the same group of players, combined with the belief developed during last season’s successful campaign, has shaped Lescott’s choice.

Arsenal finished seven points ahead of Manchester City in the previous Premier League season, and Lescott now expects them to build on that position. His forecast puts the champions in contention for another title while recognising that a second successive triumph is rarely straightforward.