Petit: Arsenal Have Shattered Their Glass Ceiling and Can Win the Title Many Times Over

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit has backed Arsenal to win back-to-back Premier League titles and set out why Mikel Arteta 's team could be on the path to greatness.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea star believes winning that first title has shattered the glass ceiling over the team, and that Declan Rice showing a nastier, win-ugly streak will help them lift more trophies.

Petit has also addressed the incidents involving Gabriel and Declan Rice , dismissed the idea that Arsenal are a dirty team, and explained why they have the strength to chase a treble or even a quadruple this season.

The former defender has also backed Viktor Gyokeres to keep fighting for his place, named Julian Alvarez as the striker who fits the club's DNA, assessed Eberechi Eze 's role, and previewed the tough trip to Sunderland .

The Title Race

How Big a Points Gap Could Arsenal Run Up?

Arsenal have a long, long way to go. It's only been the first few games of the new Premier League season, and with the Champions League and everything else, with games every three days, it will be a great challenge for Mikel Arteta and his players.

I think Arsenal are going to win back-to-back titles. By how many points? I have no idea, and it's really difficult to say because last season they won by eight points, but Manchester City didn't really play those last few games because they knew they had lost the title. Do I even care? The only thing I care about is winning the Premier League , not by how many points we do it.

Win Ugly

Should Gabriel Have Been Sent Off For Kicking Emi Martinez?

Gabriel was really, really lucky, and I was quite surprised that VAR didn't call it back for the referee to watch on the monitors because that is what we were told to expect from VAR, you know. It's there to say something to the referee when they can't see for themselves. I was very surprised Gabriel escaped. It was good for Arsenal because they won the game and all 11 players stayed on the pitch, but Gabriel should have been sent off.

Was Rice Lucky to Avoid a Yellow For Clipping Rogers?

We have seen a different side to Declan Rice now, and it will help Arsenal win more trophies. When I saw this action, I thought to myself: wow! I did not expect that from Declan Rice . He is usually so nice. He behaves like a real gentleman, on the pitch and off the pitch too. We are not used to seeing him do these kinds of things, so I was quite surprised, but it shows me that Declan Rice is learning how to be a real winner and win ugly.

That's something I never ever saw from him before at Arsenal , and I can understand Morgan Rogers and his reaction. He was frustrated. He was about to receive the ball on the edge of the box where he is very dangerous, but I think Declan Rice knew that as well. He had no option. He had to make the foul. It's what winners do.

Are Arsenal Now Being Called a Dirty Team?

We will hear everything from these people who want to criticise Arsenal for whatever they do. Set-piece team?! They are now playing very well, and with full confidence. They have improved as a team. We saw how they broke through the lines, and it is like the glass ceiling over the team has been shattered.

Winning that first title was so important for Arsenal , and now they can win the title many more times over the years to come. We can see from the start of this season that they are playing with so much belief that they will win the Premier League again.

Chasing History

Do Arsenal Have the Squad For a Treble or Quadruple?

Can Arsenal win a treble or a quadruple this season? Yes, because look at what happened last season. They reached the Champions League final without always playing so good. During the season, they were fighting so hard to win the Premier League title, but they competed in the Champions League .

They went out of the FA Cup in the quarterfinals to Southampton but lost in the final of the Carabao Cup to Manchester City, so they were really competitive in all four different competitions. This season I really believe that they have the strength, the quality and the numbers to fight and win the Champions League and the Premier League and maybe more trophies too.

What Did You Make of Vinicius Jr Snubbing Mourinho?

Mikel Arteta has been rebuilding Arsenal step by step, and I really liked the way they worked on the transfer market this summer, bringing some players in and trying to make the squad as competitive as possible. It was like watching them create a painting. I think Vinicius Jr is a really talented player, but in terms of his mentality, I am not sure he is a good fit for Arsenal . That's just my opinion. I see so many humble players at Arsenal, so if you all of a sudden bring in someone who is completely different, it can be a problem, especially with Arteta 's style of management.

Look at what happened between Vinicius Jr and Jose Mourinho in the last game between Real Betis and Real Madrid . It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he didn't want to shake his hand. Vinicius Jr receives so much stick from the fans, the press and social media, but in those moments he is sending the wrong message. I think he is probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal, looking at that moment. I would have loved to see a player with the talent of Vinicius Jr play for Arsenal, but with his mentality and his ego, I think it would have made for a really difficult situation to cope with.

The Striker Question

Should Arsenal Cut Their Losses on Gyokeres?

Arsenal will have to hope that Kai Havertz does not get injured, but this is not the end for Viktor Gyokeres because he is a warrior. He's got his own qualities. We know Arsenal wanted another striker to come in this summer, and Havertz won't play every game, so Gyokeres will have opportunities to prove his worth and stay at Arsenal .

Do They Need Julian Alvarez or Victor Osimhen?

Julian Alvarez is the striker Arsenal need. Why? Because he knows the Premier League . He's such a talented player. He has great movement, great technical skills, and he would perfectly fit the DNA of this Arsenal team in how he plays one-touch football. I really like everything about him as a player.

But obviously he wants Barcelona , and if he didn't leave Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, do you really think he's going to leave that club during the winter transfer window? I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Eberechi Eze

Do You Fear For Eze's Future at Arsenal?

The next step for Arsenal is keeping the same standards, the same ambition, the same ego and humility and players like Eberechi Eze are important to Mikel Arteta for that. Rotation will be key to his season, and we saw what happened last season with the depth of the squad and the options off the bench, and Eze is one of those options at the moment, but there are many, many games to play.

The fact that Arsenal have so many players who can set these high standards at the start of the season can send a message to the rest of the dressing room. If you want to play, you have to be really good. If Eze wants to play, he has to win his place. If he can win his place, he will keep the standards high.

Sunderland Away

What's Your Prediction For Sunderland vs Arsenal?

Last season they drew 2-2 in this fixture. I remember it well. Arsenal have the Champions League game during the week. Sunderland are in the Carabao Cup too. If they're both playing midweek, I think Arsenal are going to go and win at the Stadium of Light, but it's gonna be tough.

It's never easy to play away at Sunderland . The atmosphere inside the stadium, the way they play, makes it difficult, and so many teams struggled away against Sunderland last season. I think Arsenal will just have too much, and so I think they are going to win the game.

Prices are subject to fluctuation.

Remember, Always Gamble Responsibly.