Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has predicted that Arsenal will win the Premier League title if Manchester City fail to overturn the guilty verdict against them over alleged financial regulation violations.

According to a report by Metro on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Cole believes Manchester City could still finish ahead of Arsenal if their appeal is successful. However, he expects Mikel Arteta’s team to retain the title if the original ruling remains in place.

Manchester City were found guilty by an independent commission of more than 100 alleged breaches of financial regulations covering the period between 2009 and 2018.

The commission concluded that the club had used arrangements described as “sham contracts” to inflate their revenue and lower their expenses.

However, the Premier League champions have challenged the decision, arguing that the ruling contained “clear material errors of law, principle and fact and is unsafe”.

City have also maintained that they possess substantial evidence to support their position as they continue to contest the commission’s findings.

Despite the ongoing legal dispute, Manchester City remain level on points with Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table after eight matches.

Nevertheless, City’s recent performances have raised concerns, with the team suffering two defeats in their five matches since the verdict. Their latest disappointment came on Saturday when Aston Villa recorded a 2-1 victory, inflicting City’s first league defeat of the season.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have bounced back strongly from their unexpected 3-0 loss to Brighton before the international break.

The Gunners have won three consecutive Premier League matches and also secured a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, demonstrating their ability to recover from setbacks.

Speaking on The Dressing Room podcast, Cole explained that the outcome of Manchester City’s legal battle could play a decisive role in determining this season’s Premier League champions.

“I think Arsenal,” he said when asked to make his latest title prediction.

“If Man City's lawyers go to work, they win the league. The lawyers are the most important people in this right now! If not it's Arsenal and everyone else is just catching up.”

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has also backed Arsenal as favourites for the title, highlighting the club’s squad depth and the quality of their starting eleven, despite some concerns about their attacking options.

Arsenal are preparing for a challenging away fixture against Liverpool on Sunday, while Manchester City will welcome Brighton on Saturday.

Both matches could prove significant in the early stages of the title race as Arsenal and City look to gain an advantage over their rivals.