Alan Shearer Backs Arsenal to Win Premier League Title Despite Nervy 1-0 Win Over Newcastle

Alan Shearer has publicly backed Arsenal to claim the Premier League title, dismissing doubts about the club’s mentality after they edged past his former side Newcastle United 1-0 in a tense encounter on 26 April 2026.

Eberechi Eze’s first-half strike proved to be the decisive moment of the match, handing Arsenal a slender but significant victory and moving them three points clear at the top of the table. Manchester City, however, retain a game in hand and remain the Gunners’ closest rivals in what has developed into a two-horse title race.

Shearer, one of the Premier League’s all-time leading scorers and a Newcastle icon, was unequivocal in his assessment. “I’m telling you, I still believe Arsenal can win this Premier League title, and anyone who thinks this race is over because of what happened at the Etihad is making a huge mistake,” he said.

The former England captain pointed specifically to Arsenal’s performance against his old club as evidence of the side’s title credentials. “What impressed me the most is Arsenal themselves. Look at today against us (Newcastle United). Everyone doubted them; people were questioning their mentality, saying the pressure had gotten to them, but they responded exactly how title contenders should,” Shearer added.

“The energy, the intensity, the hunger, it was all there. They didn’t let Newcastle settle for a second. That tells me everything I need to know. Mentally, they’re still right there.”

For Arsenal, the stakes could scarcely be higher. Mikel Arteta’s side must win their remaining fixtures and rely on Manchester City dropping points if they are to secure the club’s first Premier League title since the 2003/04 season — a drought spanning more than two decades. That title-winning campaign, under Arsène Wenger, remains the last time Arsenal were crowned English champions, a period that also produced the club’s famous unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ season.

Eze’s decisive contribution adds further weight to what has been a standout campaign for the Crystal Palace-developed midfielder, who has emerged as one of the division’s most consistent performers in 2025/26. The goal against Newcastle continued a run of form that has drawn widespread attention, with the Nigerian-eligible England international having recently been reported to have surpassed key creative statistics posted by established midfielders such as Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes in certain Premier League metrics this season.

With the title race entering its final month, Arsenal’s ability to handle the pressure of a sustained championship challenge — something that has historically proven difficult for the club in recent years — will be tested further. City’s game in hand means the advantage Arteta’s side currently hold at the top could yet be erased, keeping the outcome of the 2025/26 Premier League season firmly unresolved heading into the closing weeks.