Kenny Cunningham: This Arsenal star is weak-link in title bid

Kenny Cunningham believes Arsenal’s “soft centre” could cost Arsene Wenger’s side the Premier League title.

The north London side are two points behind Premier League leaders Leicester City following their 2-1 victory over title rivals Manchester City at The Emirates on Monday night.

The Gunners have the best defensive record in the Premier League after conceding just 14 goals in 17 top-flight games so far this season, with summer signing Petr Cech impressing in goal.

However, former Republic of Ireland defender Cunningham reckons Mertesacker could provfe the weak-link in Arsenal’s Premier League title bid unless Wenger sign a centre-half in the January transfer window.

“I still feel Arsenal have a small bit of a soft centre with the partnership of Mertesacker and Koscielny,” Cunningham told Newstalk’s Off The Ball.

“But such is the quality that Arsenal have in the other areas of the pitch, they might be able to still win the league title despite the small weakness in the form of Mertesacker.”

Arsenal have lost three Premier League games so far this season following defeats by West Ham United, defending champions Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion.

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The Gunners make the trip to Ronald Koeman’s struggling Southampton side on Boxing Day after the Saints lost 2-0 to Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.