City can lose tonight and still win the title - Elliott

Former Manchester City player Stephen Elliott believes that his old club can afford to lose to Arsenal tonight and still emerge victorious in the Premier League title race.

Elliott, who started his career under Kevin Keegan at City, feels that his old side have the edge ahead of tonight's crunch game between the league’s top two sides at the Etihad.

Arsenal go into the game with a five point lead at the top of the table, albeit having played two games more.

Defeat for the Gunners would reduce the gap to two points and given City’s ominous form, the defending champions would be heavy favourites to retain their title.

For Elliott, it’s a bigger game for Arsenal and he believes that if the Gunners are beaten, City will go on to win the league.

Speaking on Morning Ireland, he said: "Manchester City are just like a steam train at this moment in time, every challenge that’s put in front of them, they just seem to knock it out of the park."

"Arsenal when they perform, they’re very hard to deal with.

"We saw in the Liverpool game in the first-half at Anfield you’re thinking it could have 4-0 or 5-0 to Arsenal. Then they concede a goal and that little bit of nervousness creeps in.

"They’re the two best teams in the Premier League by far this year, both playing a very exciting brand of football.

"If Man City win tonight I think it will be very tough for Arsenal to win the league whereas if Arsenal win tonight I don’t think that’s the league done and dusted, I still think there will be more twists and turns along the way.

"I think it’s more important for Arsenal to get a result tonight than Man City. I think Man City will win, they quality they have, it being at the Etihad and just having been here before."

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