Arsenal emerged 3-1 victors from their heavyweight clash with Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Thierry Henry says he is refusing to get ‘carried away’ with Arsenal’s promising start to the campaign, but is ‘happy’ with their standing at the halfway stage.
Last weekend, Arsenal passed their huge test at home to Liverpool with flying colours as goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard sealed a statement 3-1 win in front of a raucous Emirates crowd.
The result put Arsenal within two points of Jurgen Klopp’s Reds and the Gunners will look to apply further pressure on their title rivals when they travel to West Ham on Sunday afternoon.
A rampant Manchester City, meanwhile, have proven beyond doubt that they remain a force to be reckoned with in recent weeks and briefly went top of the table with their 2-0 defeat of Everton.
With Pep Guardiola’s champions chasing a fourth straight title, legendary ex-Arsenal striker Henry – arguably the greatest player in Premier League history – urged Arsenal supporters to keep their expectations in check.
Asked to assess Arsenal’s start to the campaign, the iconic Frenchman told talkSPORT: ’38 games, then I see where my team will be.
‘I don’t get carried away or not. I just try to see, as a fan, where my team can get. That’s about it.
‘I feel happy in a way, obviously, being on CBS and having that extra nervousness watching Arsenal because, before that, we obviously were not in the Champions League so I was kind of cool going into work.
‘Now I’m a bit more stressed. Obviously we have to play against Porto and see what we can do, but my experience as a player is 38 games. Let’s see where you are and then we can talk.’
Arsenal legend Henry is not getting ‘carried away’ by the Gunners’ start (Picture: Getty)
Henry has been impressed with Arsenal’s start in the Champions League this season, but refused to predict how far Arteta’s side will progress ahead of their round-of-16 tie with Porto.
Pressed on which club will go further in the Champions League out of Arsenal and Manchester City, he replied: ‘I don’t like to play those games. It’s not about that – when we do predictions on the show [CBS], I don’t like to do it.
‘I do it because I have to, I don’t have to answer anything. I don’t like it – even when I was a player: “Will you win it or not win it?, it’s not about that. It’s about performing.
‘At the end of the day, you want an English team to go as far possible. I’m a French guy so obviously I would like Paris Saint-Germain to go far.
‘I support Arsenal, as you know, and that’s about it. I don’t like to predict anything.
‘Eventually, one of us here will predict the right thing, but that’s a guess.’
Haaland and De Bruyne have boosted City (Picture: Getty)
Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards, meanwhile, said his former side had begun to perform at a level close to their frightening best, with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland back fit and firing.
‘I think there have been times where they may not have been at their best,’ Richards said.
‘I think complacent was the word used. Pep, I wouldn’t say “hit back at that”, but corrected a couple of things… I don’t think City were being complacent.
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‘I just think the way the games were going at the time, I think they created a lot of chances, didn’t take some of their chances and got punished for that.
‘In terms of where City are at now, I think they’re back to their best. Kevin De Bruyne’s first game back was against Newcastle, he gets that assist for [Oscar] Bobb and he gets that goal as well. Haaland back in the team.
‘I wouldn’t use the word “unstoppable”, but they look like they’re going into that mode where they go on a run for 15-20 games and I think they could do that.’
MORE : Luke Shaw sets out two targets for Manchester United for the rest of the season
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