At a Glance:
- Arsenal are on the brink of winning a historic Premier League and Champions League double.
- Micah Richards has heaped praise on an overlooked Gunners star.
- Gary Neville has made his prediction ahead of Arsenal’s game against West Ham United on Sunday.
Arsenal are now on the brink of winning a historic Premier League and Champions League double, and this has unsurprisingly sparked huge excitement in North London over recent days.
The Gunners booked their spot in the final of Europe’s elite club competition on Tuesday night by overcoming Atletico Madrid at the Emirates. Bukayo Saka’s goal on the stroke of half-time was enough to separate the two sides, and Mikel Arteta’s men now know they will face Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest at the end of May, after the French giants saw off Bayern Munich in their semi-final.
Meanwhile, the North Londoners can also win the Premier League title in the next few weeks. Wins over West Ham United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will guarantee Arsenal are made champions come the end of the season.
With that said, here is the latest Arsenal news today, including updates on Champions League final plans, Micah Richards and Gary Neville.
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Arsenal open Champions League final ballot
Tens of thousands of Arsenal supporters are expected to make the trip to Budapest on the final weekend of May. However, just over 16,000 of these Gunners fans will be allowed to attend the Puskas Arena for this showpiece event.
Arsenal have opened a ticketing ballot for the final, providing season ticket holders with a chance of attending the showdown in Budapest. Season ticket holders who have utilised their ticket in at least 16 of the 19 home games thus far this season are eligible, with the ballot set to open at midday BST on Friday, 8 May.
The club have also announced a dedicated supporter charter flight for fans who secure a ticket through Arsenal. The flight will leave early on Saturday, 30 May and return in the early hours of Sunday, 31 May, after the final in Budapest.
Micah Richards’ David Raya claim
With Arsenal on the precipice of success, their players are unsurprisingly starting to garner significant praise for their endeavours this season. The likes of Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are being mooted as potential Player of the Year candidates.
However, pundit Micah Richards has chosen to highlight a different Gunners star he believes deserves recognition. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Richards claimed that David Raya should be in contention for the Premier League Player of the Year award.
“But to add to that, I have to add David Raya,” he said.
“I think all the players for Arsenal have got over the line in terms of staying within the title, getting to the Champions League final.
“They wouldn’t be there without David Raya. Some of the stops that he’s made. He should be nominated for Player of the Year as well.”
Gary Neville makes West Ham vs Arsenal prediction
Arsenal’s next match could define their season. The Gunners face a West Ham side desperately battling to avoid relegation, and thus, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will certainly present Arteta’s men with a stern test.
If they navigate their way to three points against the Hammers, then they’ll just need to beat an already-relegated Burnley side and a Crystal Palace team likely to rest players ahead of a European semi-final, to guarantee the title. Everything, therefore, rests on this trip to the London Stadium.
Speaking on the Overlap, Gary Neville backed Arsenal to win in East London on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s going to go…I’m going to go, 2-1 Arsenal,” he said.
