Louis Saha names title favourites after Man City win and Arsenal lose

Manchester City are the ‘strongest’ team in the Premier League, says Louis Saha (Picture: Sky Sports)

Louis Saha believes the momentum may have shifted away from Arsenal in the Premier League, naming Manchester City as the ‘strongest’ team in this year’s title race.

City ensured they entered the international break with a three-point lead at the top of the table after emerging victorious in an eight-goal thriller at home to Sunderland on Sunday.

Brian Brobbey completed a stunning hat-trick at the Etihad but it was not enough for the visiting Black Cats, with an Antoine Semenyo brace and goals from Enzo Fernandez, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland proving decisive.

A day earlier, Arsenal were on the receiving end of arguably the biggest upset of the season thus far as they stumbled to a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton.

Pascal Gross and Charalampos Kostoulas were both on target for the Seagulls in the first half, before Chema Andres headed home to put the hosts out of sight on the hour-mark at a rapturous Amex Stadium.

The reigning champions will look to get back to winning ways when they return to top-flight action against Leeds in three weeks’ time, while City will hope to preserve their 100 per cent record on the road at Liverpool.

‘I think everyone can say that Arsenal had the best momentum even if they lost it towards the end [of last season],’ ex-Manchester United, Fulham and France striker Saha said when asked about the title race on Sky Sports.

Maresca’s City side hold a three-point lead at the top (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal dropped their first points of the campaign away to Brighton (Picture: Getty)

‘I think now City understood their mistakes, even if they still have young players coming through, they have this experience.

‘The combination of strength and creativity is enormous in midfield so I do think they are the strongest one.

‘On the bench as well because Jeremy Doku is coming back, it’s frightening.’

After Arsenal were consigned to their opening loss of the campaign, a ‘disappointed’ Mikel Arteta accused his players of failing to ‘respect the game’.

‘A very disappointing result and performance,’ the Arsenal head coach told reporters.

‘Full credit to Brighton in the manner they performed and went about the game.

Arteta cut a frustrated figure on the touchline at the Amex Stadium (Picture: Sports Press Photo/Shutterstock)

‘They were another gear from us in the basics of the game. They were always first in the first duel, in the second actions, second balls, and they started to play from there.

‘On top of that, when we had the ball, especially in our own half, we were extremely poor technically, not respecting the game and the game principles you have to apply against a team that want to press you man to man.’

‘That never gives you the option to dominate and control the game in the manner you want.’

The Spaniard added: ‘When we had big chances, we didn’t put them away.