Laurent Koscielny: City and Arsenal to challenge Manchester United for the title

Arsenal centre back Laurent Koscielny believes Manchester City and Arsenal will be the two teams to challenge Manchester United for the English Premier League title.
Speaking to Arsenal TV Online, the Frenchman explained how the game against Roberto Mancini’s men was a frustrating experience as despite playing a very good game the Gunners failed to score and had to settle for a disappointing goalless draw. The ex-Lorient man believes Arsenal had plenty of chances to open the score but had to accept it was just “one of those days”.
On challenging Manchester United for the title, the 25-year admitted Manchester City – together with Arsenal – should be considered challengers this year with the Gunners yet to play the Red Devils at the Emirates, an advantage according to the defender.
The Frenchman concluded by saying how he believes Arsenal can win the Carling Cup this season after performing incredibly well in the defensive department as well as in the offensive department. The Gunners will face Ipswich Town tonight in the first leg of their semi-final tie.
On the title race, Koscielny said:

[Manchester City] was frustrating – I think it was one of those games and it seemed to be anything but a draw. It was an eventful game and there could have easily been a few goals. In the first half there were lot of chances to get that first goal and the game open up but we just couldn’t get the breakthrough.
I think the main teams to challenge Manchester United [for the title] are Manchester City and ourselves. Winning on Wednesday night against Man. City would have made it interesting for the title race but that’s over and done with now. We still got a game in hand on them and we still have to play Manchester United at home so we have to be consistent and try to keep it in our own hands.
We can go all the way in the Carling Cup. We are only two games from the final so we got very strong aspirations of winning it. We were very consistent defensively and have let in very few goals, only one I think, and scored goals as we normally do.
There are no bad players in the Carling Cup, everyone strives to win and now we’re in the semi-final against Ipswich and I know that everyone is motivated to win the semi-final and then the final as well.