Pundits tells high-flying Arsenal Man City will still ‘win the league’

Gary Neville and Roy Keane still expect Manchester City to lift the Premier League trophy at the end of the season, but believe it would take a ‘special run’ to stop Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side.

Mikel Arteta’s side beat Manchester United in dramatic fashion on Sunday to maintain the gap following City’s win over Wolves earlier in the day.

Still, Neville – who has frequently backed City to win a third straight title – stressed Guardiola’s side are capable of the kind of winning runs Arsenal simply cannot muster, even despite the fact only four other teams have won 50 points at this stage of the season before.

“I don’t see them going on to win the League,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“I think Manchester City will win the League because I think what they’ve got in them is a special run.

“I think that at a point in the season Arsenal will lose one or two matches and City will be right on their shoulders and it’ll become very difficult for them.

“But they could win the League and, to be honest with you, I thought they’d be nowhere near.

“I can’t believe they’re in the chat. The fact they’re in the chat of winning the League is incredible, so it’s not a negative thing for me to say.”

Keane echoed Neville’s view but believes the mentality showed by Arsenal in their victory over United shows the North London side could claim the title.

He highlighted Arsenal’s response to falling behind to Marcus Rashford’s early goal in the match as evidence of their togetherness and ability to cope with the pressure of a title race.

‘If it was putting money on it, I still think City, but seeing Arsenal today with the technical ability and the mentality, it will take a lot to stop them,’ the former Manchester Unite captain said.

‘I wouldn’t be that shocked or surprised if they do go on to win it.

‘I still do sway towards City after what they have done over the last few years and the strengthen in depth they have.’

Fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp claimed Arsenal and Manchester City were the only two contenders fighting for the title this season.

Redknapp claimed ‘something is not quite right with City’, but insisted they are ‘the last team in the world you want hunting you down’.

City hold the longest winning streak in Premier League history – 18 games – amassed during the 2017/18 season.

Pep Guardiola, however, has himself admitted his team have little chance of catching Arsenal based on current form, calling for major changes in their mentality.

The two sides do not meet until February 15, though Guardiola has consistently proven rather downbeat on their chances of overtaking the leaders.