Former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires believes that the Gunners have the quality in their squad to win the Premier League title this season.

Arsenal are currently two points clear at the top of the Premier League table, and although Pires admits that they aren't as strong as Manchester City, he has insisted that they can end the campaign with their first league trophy since 2004.

The 40-year-old told French Football Weekly: "They can win the league – and I certainly hope so! I wish that for Arsene Wenger, because he's been at the club for a long time and he's won nothing since 2005.

"But today he's had a great start, he's got a great team. But it won't be easy. The quality is definitely there, but the squad is not as large as Manchester City. But we're now at the end of January and they're still first, so they have a good chance."

Pires enjoyed a six-year spell with Arsenal between 2000 and 2006, scoring 62 goals in 189 league appearances.