Nollywood icon and lifelong Arsenal supporter, Chinedu Ikedieze, popularly known for his legendary roles in Nigerian cinema, has weighed in on the Premier League title race in an exclusive interview with BestLagos and his message is clear: don’t write Arsenal off just yet.
Speaking passionately about the North London side’s prospects this season, Ikedieze opined that the game of football is filled with possibilities. He drew from history to back his belief, reminding fans of a dramatic title twist from 2002. “There was a time, in 2002, that Arsenal was 10 points ahead by this time in the Premier League, and at the end of the day, they lost all the 10 points to Manchester United.”
However, he didn’t mince words when addressing the team’s current injury struggles. “Well, I’m not the one playing the game. You know we are short of players. We have a lot of players who are injured and still nursing their injury,” he said, reflecting the frustration of many fans who believe a fully fit squad would have made Arsenal a more dominant force.
Despite the challenges, the actor remains optimistic about his team’s chances. “Arsenal, with a full squad in form, we can take on any team in the world, and we can win them,” he said confidently. “Let’s just see what happens.”
Currently sitting second on the league table, Arsenal are locked in a neck-and-neck battle with top contenders like Liverpool and Manchester City. The Gunners trail behind Liverpool by several points, but Ikedieze is not deterred by the gap. “I know we are almost 11 points behind, though I’m not looking at that side. I give it to Liverpool, but you can’t take it away from Arsenal or any other team.”
His closing sentiment echoes the hope of millions of fans: “Let’s just watch and see.”
Whether or not the Gunners can defy the odds, one thing’s certain, they have a die-hard believer in Chinedu Ikedieze.
