Alan Shearer Exclusive: Arsenal will be out of title race if they lose to Chelsea

• Mikel Arteta's relationship with Edu could have significant impact on Arsenal

• Arsenal lose at Chelsea and they are out of title race

• Mourinho is looking for Premier League comeback

• Son-Heung Min is a Premier League great

• Two Premier League players who are 'banging' on the England door

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Edu's Arsenal departure a real surprise and a loss for Mikel Arteta

As ever, the part of football that weakens your position as a manager is poor results, and ultimately if you suffer poor results, it always helps if you've got someone inside the club who you know and trust, and who you get on well with.

Clearly Mikel Arteta had a good relationship with Edu, and whoever they bring in next, it will be vital to develop that once again, because that link between Director of Football and Head Coach is key to the success of any football club.

You must be aligned, and you must know how to get along and to trust each other. It goes without saying that is hugely important.

It's difficult to say whether Edu leaving will strengthen or weaken Arteta's position as manager, because you don't know who's going to come in, but he is losing an ally, someone he knows and trusts, which is a huge thing at that level.

It was a huge surprise to me when I read the news that Edu decided to leave, I don't think anybody expected it as it was out of the blue.

I wonder if Edu may have felt his position was weakened somehow, but I'm only guessing about that. Perhaps he wanted to go out and do certain things he wasn't allowed to do at Arsenal, but I don't know that either.

It would have to be something incredibly special to prize him away from what he's got and for what he's done at Arsenal, because that alignment and relationship with Arteta, has made Arsenal serious challengers to Man City's throne.

Edu's signings shouldn't let his departure affect them

Most of Arsenal's starting XI are players brought to the club by Edu, but they cannot and should not let this affect them, because whatever is happening at boardroom level should not impact them out on the pitch.

But, we know that if the search for his replacement drags on, and results don't go as well as they want, which they aren't at the moment, then the press will look for ways to try and disrupt or disturb.

The main thing is that Arsenal must start winning again, and that will take away the talk around the Director of Football. If they don't, then obviously that talk is going to continue.

Saliba, Gabriel and Odegaard Edu's top three signings

Looking through the list of the players Edu has signed at the club, there have been some great additions.

The partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba has been key to what Arsenal are all about under Mikel Arteta though, and I would also add Martin Odegaard into the top three under Edu's stewardship. Odegaard is an incredible football player and is the one name they've really missed this season.

I was close to putting Declan Rice in there as well but those three are incredible and without a doubt are the standouts.

Defeat this weekend and I will rule Arsenal out of Premier League title

When you look at the standard of Manchester City's title wins in recent years, and the number of points needed to win the league, you are traditionally needing to hit 90+ points to be champions.

That is now going to take some doing for Arsenal from this position after the situation that they're in. They will have to be near faultless between now and the end of the season, which is a huge ask.

However, I'm not so sure that many points will be required this season - I may be wrong with Liverpool flying right now of course, but other than Liverpool fans, a lot of people thought Liverpool under Arne Slot would see a little bit of a transition phase, and that it might take a year or two for them to come back and challenge.

However, from what we've seen in the first 10 games, Liverpool are not going away, so Arsenal cannot afford to drop too many more points.

I originally tipped Arsenal to win the title, and I'm not going to change my mind just yet. However, if they get beaten again this weekend then that will change my answer next week.

Huge game and pressure for Julien Lopetegui

Looking elsewhere in the Premier League, another defeat for West Ham at Forest last weekend means it is fair to say it has not gone very well under Julen Lopetegui.

The win against Manchester United was huge for them but, having said that, they got lucky - they should have been four or five-nil down at least at half-time in that game.

He did make changes at half-time in that win to be fair, which changed their second-half performance, however, they were awful again at the weekend against Forest, with one player sent-off, and I don't like what I'm seeing at West Ham.

They just seem as though they're wide open and they're not all on the same page. Things have got to improve rapidly, otherwise West Ham could be in a spot of bother.

There's no doubt now that Lopetegui is under huge pressure, and this weekend's game at home is key, and you can imagine what the atmosphere and noise will be like around the club if Everton put in a performance to get all three points; it's a huge game for Lopetegui.

After what David Moyes did at the club, and although the West Ham fans will tell you that the football wasn't great, they were in a safe, steady pair of hands. Let us not forget he also won them a European trophy, and, where he dragged them from when he came back the club.

West Ham had a reasonable summer in terms of signings, but things have not worked out at all for Lopetegui and West Ham so far this season.

Mourinho is box office and could well move back to Premier League

Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has been back in the news and media a lot recently, and the one thing you cannot do is underestimate him and his record.

He creates headlines, whether that's for winning trophies or being brutally honest as he was at the weekend when he said, 'nobody watches the Turkish league.'

He is box office, and I think there's always a message he's trying to get across in the background so it wouldn't surprise me if this was him edging for a move back to the Premier League.

Where could he go? Let us not forget he was recently at Roma, who are now close to their purchase of Everton - is there a subliminal message in there for what his future holds?

With his record, any club in the Premier League would always be interested in him, however, he isn't scared of telling it like it is at the football club, so he's going to tell it like it is and he's not afraid of causing chaos,

It wouldn't surprise me if we see him back in the Premier League within the next 12 months.

We know he's always spoken very highly of Newcastle, and the link comes with his connection to Sir Bobby Robson. He's always complimented the stadium, the atmosphere and the fans thanks to that link, but Eddie is rightfully going nowhere at this moment in time.

Ange Postecoglou has done a great job, they just need consistency

When you look at the big picture at Spurs, Ange Postecoglou has done a very good job. I think what Tottenham need to look at is their consistency.

They've beaten Man City and Aston Villa in the last week, making it to the quarter-final of the League Cup and absolutely smashing Villa in the second half. They were also top of the Europa League until that defeat to Galatasaray.

The issues have been where they win one week and then go to places like Crystal Palace, who hadn't won all season, and get beaten. When that happens, the 'Spursy' tag is always going to be thrown at them.

If they can eradicate that, there's no doubt they've got a good team there under Ange and can have a really successful season.

Captain Son is and has been a Premier League great

Son Heung-Min is set to have his contract extended at Spurs, where he has been brilliant player for the club and for the Premier League.

You can see the following that he has brought to the Premier League from South Korea particularly. At Spurs on a Saturday afternoon, the number of people who are there just for him is incredible and a testament to his ability and who he is as a person.

What he's done for Tottenham and the Premier League is amazing, and it's because he's been a fantastic player and will be for years to come.

He's one of these guys who you can't dislike, because of his attitude and his work ethic; even non-Tottenham fans will tell you what a great player he is.

Winks would be a surprise inclusion for England recall

Lee Carsley will name his third and final England squad on Thursday for the upcoming Nations League matches, and Gary Neville said a couple of weeks ago, that because we are not blessed with 'Harry Wink style' players, he could be in line for an England recall.

I understood why Gary said that, but I'd be slightly surprised if Harry Winks was in the England squad, but he is a good player. I do agree we are not blessed with players who want to do that role, or who can play that role.

Harry Winks may well get an England call-up and prove me wrong, but let's wait and see; I would be surprised if he was in the squad.

Hall and Rogers are banging on the England door

Lewis Hall on the other hand is not far away from an England call-up, and if he does get a call-up, he will have deserved it. If he doesn't get one this time and he keeps playing the way he is, then it won't be long.

Lewis is not just knocking; he is banging on the door of the senior team. I watched him closely at the weekend and he had a fantastic game against Bukayo Saka, one of the best players in the Premier League and Arsenal's danger man.

He had a great game and hardly gave him a kick and rightfully was given player of the match.

If it wasn't for Milos Kerkez getting two assists against Man City for Bournemouth, he would've been in my team of the week.

Another player who is banging on the same door as Lewis Hall is Morgan Rogers. Right from the off this season, Rogers has played a huge part in what Aston Villa are doing.

He looks as if he's ready for an England call-up and very much like Lewis Hall, if it's not this camp, and he keeps playing like he has then it will come, I don't have a doubt about that.

Tuchel may seek Ben White conversation in New Year

With Thomas Tuchel taking charge in the New Year, I wonder if it is a chance to see Ben White come back into the England fold.

White's situation is a strange one, and I for one don't know the background; we all hear different rumours as to why he left the England camp or why he doesn't want to be selected, but I don't know whether they're true.

I suspect that Thomas Tuchel will want to have a conversation with Ben or Arsenal and try to find out why he doesn't want to be selected if that is the case. If Ben doesn't, then you must respect that, and that doesn't mean I agree with it, but you have to respect it.

Thomas Tuchel will likely have a conversation with him and see whether he's open to coming back into the squad.

Damien Duff could put himself in Ireland manager shop window

Damien Duff was celebrating last weekend after leading Shelbourne to the title over in Ireland. I managed Damien during my time at Newcastle, and I know how hard he tried for me and the club, but I will be honest I didn't see a coach or manager in there!

I saw a great lad with a great work ethic, but I wouldn't have expected to see him on the sidelines.

However, I have been following his progress, his interaction with the fans and success he has had, and It's great to see. He's done a great job so congratulations to him.

Whether he can be a future Ireland manager depends on what they do in the future but If he keeps going, then he is absolutely putting himself in the shop window for the top job in Ireland.

Micah Richards could be King of the Jungle

I'm a Celeb is due to start later this month and other than Wrighty, who we know has been in the jungle - and he's told me all about it and how he won't be going back in - there's only Micah Richards of my punditry colleagues I could see in there! If it was between him or Martin Keown, it would have to be Micah.

He could be the King of the Jungle, and it would sure be entertaining seeing him in there.

I can't see myself going in there though, absolutely not!

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