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19 March 2024

Arsenal can challenge for title, says Podolski

Lukas Podolski scored Arsenal's first goal during the Barclays Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. (FILE)

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By Staff

One swallow doesn't make a summer but Lukas Podolski is walking the talk after scoring just one goal in three starts for Arsenal.

It must have come more as a relief for Arsene Wenger when his £11 million summer signing from Cologne scored his first goal to inspire Arsenal to victory against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

The German hitman insists Arsenal can be title­challengers if they build on their Anfield delight, according to a report in The Mirror.

Podolski combined again with Spanish playmaker Santi Cazorla for Arsenal’s second, as the Gooners showed evidence of life after Robin van Persie.

With fit-again Abou Diaby adding to the feelgood factor, Podolski  believes Arsenal’s eight-year trophy drought can finally come to an end if they can consistently replicate the Liverpool performance.

Podolski said: “The Premier League is very hard to win.

“It is not like Spain, where only Real Madrid and ­Barcelona fight for La Liga.

“In the Premier League, you have five or six teams who want the title. We are one of those and must fight for it.

“We have 35 matches more and must play in all of them like we did at Liverpool.”

The former Bayern Munich star also hailed Wenger as a great coach and is comfortable with Arsenal's style of play.

He said: “I’ve had a lot of managers, that’s true, I think 10 of them. But Arsene Wenger is a great coach, one of the best in the world.

“Before I came, I spoke to him about the style of the club, the football he wants us to play. Our first goal showed what I mean – good passing, running, keeping the ball and then scoring the goal.

“This style of Arsenal is my style. I like this. We are a team that likes to pass the ball, playing one or two touches."

However, Podolski warned they have a long and hard battle ahead if they are serious about emerging as title contenders.

“But to win in the Premier League you must also be prepared to fight and to run. We did this well.

"I have been asked to play on the left, but you can see that I am free to leave that position and play inside.

“I don’t just have to play wide, I can go in the middle to link up with Abou or Santi. With Santi, in training, I’ve loved the way it has gone. All the time we work on this, one and two touches.

“You could see that for our goals at Liverpool. He passed to me for the first one, and then I gave the assist to him for the second.

“But we have only played three matches and must keep on improving.”