Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira issues timely reminder as Man City take top spot

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Patrick Vieira has issued a rallying cry to Arsenal insisting "they know how to win" despite the Gunners' alarming drop off in form.

The Gunners have chosen the worst time to experience a late season slump, which saw Manchester City take top spot on Wednesday night. Arsenal had been leading the way for more than 200 days but need to respond to their long-time rivals.

City's lead is a slender one, only leading by virtue of goals scored, but Arsenal are desperately out of form. They have lost four of their last six games, which has seen them dumped out of both domestic cups. The losses to Bournemouth and City has also seen their lead at the top shrink away.

Arsenal have endured late season slumps before and need to find some form if they are to fight back against City. But Vieira, the last man to lift the title for the Gunners, insists they had the winning habit for so long and simply need to lean on that quality.

He told the club's website : "I think I just want them to remind themselves where they are and why they are where they are. Meaning that they are at the top of the league, they are in the semi-final of the Champions League , and you can't reach that level with no quality, with no team spirit and with no togetherness.

"It's about winning games, they know how to do it because they've been doing it for the last seven, eight months. When we are in the last sprint, I will say it, it's important not to forget the quality that brings them where they are today because that will help them to win."

City's FA Cup commitments mean that Arsenal will now play twice before the Manchester side take to the pitch to play a Premier League game. They could open up a six-point gap, but that would require them to win in the league for the first time March 14, when they beat Everton .

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Arsenal, for all their quality, are trying to end a six-year wait for a trophy. Their squad is bereft of players who have experience of winning silverware and Arteta is facing the prospect of coming out second best in another title race, which would see questions asked of him.

In 2023 and 2024 Arsenal had been leading City before losses in the final weeks allowed the side from Manchester to steal a march and win the league. Guardiola has told his team that they need to be perfect in their final five games if they want to regain their champion status.

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