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Mikel Arteta: 'Manchester City have the strongest squad'

Mikel Arteta feels that Manchester City's prolific strike force gives them an advantage over Arsenal, whose "lack of finishing" could cost them in the title race.

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta believes that Manchester City's strike force makes them the strongest squad in the Premier League.

City are the division's highest scorers this season, having found the net 57 times compared to the Gunners' 39, with Blues frontmen Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo contributing 25 of them.

Arsenal's recognised centre-forwards Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner have just 10 top-flight goals between them, only one of which has come against sides deemed to be a top-four rival.

"There have been moments where we lacked finishing and sometimes you pay the price for that," he told Spanish radio station Cope.

"But we do not have the strikers Manchester City do to have more options. "City are the strongest squad in terms of quality. They have three world-class strikers that win the big games."

Injuries to both Giroud and Bentdner may force Gunners boss Arsene Wenger to buy in January, with Lukas Podolski expected to play through the middle in Saturday's FA Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur.

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Blackburn's Paul Robinson in action against Cardiff during their Championship match on December 7, 2012
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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