{"id":2485,"date":"2026-04-05T12:36:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T12:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=2485"},"modified":"2026-04-05T12:36:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T12:36:31","slug":"alan-shearer-makes-arsenal-title-claim-after-shock-fa-cup-exit-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=2485","title":{"rendered":"Alan Shearer makes Arsenal title claim after shock FA Cup exit | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Premier League legend Alan Shearer (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alan Shearer believes it will be \u2018incredibly tough\u2019 for Arsenal to win the Premier League after their shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton.<\/p>\n

Arsenal, sitting top of the Premier League and favourites to win the Champions League, were expected to prove too strong for Championship side Southampton at St Mary\u2019s on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The Saints led at half-time through Ross Stewart\u2019s opener but Viktor Gyokeres came off the bench to equalise for Arsenal, who were dreaming of a historic quadruple just two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

The momentum appeared to be with Mikel Arteta\u2019s side at that stage but Southampton responded superbly and clinched a famous win through Shea Charles\u2019 85th-minute goal.<\/p>\n

The shock defeat means Arsenal fail to reach the FA Cup semi-finals, having lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final in their previous game before the international break.<\/p>\n

The Gunners are still favourites to win their first Premier League title since 2004, leading second-placed Man City by nine points.<\/p>\n

But Premier League record goalscorer and England legend Shearer has questioned the \u2018mental\u2019 impact losing to Southampton will have on Arsenal and their title aspirations.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Southampton\t<\/div>
Southampton sealed a famous win at St Mary\u2019s (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018This is not a fluke,\u2019 Alan Shearer on BBC One<\/a> as Southampton celebrated a brilliant victory in the FA Cup. \u2018Victory went to the better side on the night.\u2019<\/p>\n

Speaking to Betfair<\/a>Shearer added: \u2018After Arsenal got knocked out of the FA Cup, it will be incredibly tough for them, mentally, to go on and achieve what they want to achieve.\u2019<\/p>\n

Shearer had earlier backed Man City to win the FA Cup following their emphatic 4-0 quarter-final win over Liverpool.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Southampton\t<\/div>
Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guardiola\u2019s side built on the momentum of winning the Carabao Cup by thrashing Arne Slot\u2019s defending Premier League champions at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n

Erling Haaland returned to form with a brilliant hat-trick and Man City\u2019s January signing Antoine Semenyo continued to impress with the other goal.<\/p>\n

\u2018It wouldn\u2019t surprise me if Man City won the FA Cup,\u2019 Shearer said. \u2018They\u2019ve already got one trophy in the bag.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t think they\u2019re going to win the league. They can\u2019t win the Champions League.<\/p>\n

\u2018I know they\u2019ve got a tough draw, but I do think with their history and with their experience, they may be the favourites to win it.<\/p>\n

\u2018Now they\u2019ve got through the quarter-final against Liverpool, I think they\u2019ll win it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal\u2019s FA Cup defeat<\/h2>\n

After Arsenal\u2019s humbling FA Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Southampton, Arteta urged his players to \u2018show what we\u2019re made of\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Gunners begin a two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Sporting on Tuesday night before resuming their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth at the week.<\/p>\n

Asked what went wrong for Arsenal at St Mary\u2019s, Arteta said: \u2018The result and especially the way we conceded the two goals.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Southampton\t<\/div>
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal after the FA Cup defeat (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018We had so much dominance in and around the box. We conceded the first goal in a very unusual way for us, the second one from direct play as well.<\/p>\n

\u2018We had two massive chances and needed to capitalise on that. If you make defending errors we made today it\u2019s very difficult to be in the semi-final.<\/p>\n

\u2018Southampton are a very good side on a very good run and you have to congratulate them. Now we have to show what we are made of.\u2019<\/p>\n

Saints boss Tonda Eckert, meanwhile, told BBC Sport: \u2018We put in a good shift today. It was a challenge, we knew it was going to be a tough game.<\/p>\n

\u2018The second half always has the chance to shift and we reacted quite well. The belief was always there, it\u2019s not been a problem.\u2019<\/p>\n

Asked whether Southampton\u2019s win was written in the stars on the 50th anniversary of their FA Cup triumph, Eckert added: \u2018I think that\u2019s more a story for the media.\u2019<\/p>\n

Southampton, sitting seventh in the Championship, resume their play-off push on Tuesday night against Wrexham.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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