Gary Neville believes there is only one team capable of stopping Arsenal from winning the Premier League this season, as Mikel Arteta’s side pursues their first major trophy after many years without success.
According to the former Manchester United defender, Liverpool is the only opponent who can block the "Gunners" in the race for the title. Under coach Arne Slot, Liverpool recently ended a run of five straight Premier League defeats last weekend, yet they remain 7 points behind Arsenal in the league table.
That gap may seem considerable, but Neville recalls that Premier League history has witnessed many stunning comebacks. Manchester City erased an eight-point deficit after 28 matches in the 2022/23 season and repeated the feat when trailing by seven points after 17 matches in 2023/24, ultimately winning the title. Most notably, Arsenal themselves staged a successful comeback in 1997/98 despite being 13 points behind Manchester United after 19 games.
Gary Neville believes there is only one team capable of stopping Arsenal from winning the Premier League this season
Discussing the current title race on NBC Sports, Neville analyzed: "I think Arsenal can still lose the title from this position. I understand why Arteta, the players, and fans want to reduce the pressure, but they are the most consistent team and have been preparing for this moment for three or four years. I predicted Arsenal would win in the last three seasons, but they all faded near the end."
Neville added: "Last season, I thought they should have been the natural successors if Liverpool or Man City declined. Now, there are few excuses if Arsenal don’t succeed. I’m not trying to put pressure on them, but I see them as having the strongest and most balanced squad in the league. Although it’s early to say for sure, if you’re not Arteta or an Arsenal player, you can fully believe they are capable of winning."
The former English star also clarified: "I believe Arsenal will be champions because I don’t see anything that can stop them. Liverpool used to depend on Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah – without them, the team struggled. But Arsenal now don’t rely on any individual. Even if they lose one of their two main center-backs, they have replacements thanks to recent summer signings. Every position is doubled with players of similar quality."
Neville also emphasized Bukayo Saka – once an irreplaceable link – now has backup options. "When Saka was injured, Noni Madueke stepped in and the team was not greatly affected. That’s the difference. Arsenal now have enough depth to maintain their strength. If they don’t win, it would be due to their own failure. I don’t think Man City will regain their previous form, and Liverpool – although the only real competitor – must quickly get back on track or risk falling behind."