Former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand says he thinks Manchester City, not Arsenal, will win the Premier League title this season.
The Gunners extended their advantage over their rivals (at least temporarily) with a resounding 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Tuesday night, but Ferdinand feels the momentum is with Pep Guardiola’s team:
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“I said [Arsenal would finish] first before a ball was kicked, but if I was a betting man right now, I’m going City. I want Arsenal to win it, but the way things are going now, City might just win it now.”
Ferdinand cites the sizeable lead that Arsenal squandered earlier this season as a sign that Mikel Arteta’s side are not ruthless enough:
“I think Arsenal had a nice gap but they’ve allowed a few teams to get closer again. I think you have got to smell blood. You’ve been close enough the last couple of seasons and been pipped, I think you have to smell blood at the earliest point and just go for it. It’s easier said then done but I think you have enough experience without winning to understand what you now need to do. So I think that the manager needs to get that across to the players.”‘
Arsenal have to prove the doubters wrong
Ferdinand’s comments are somewhat odd, considering he backed the North London club to win the league at the start of the campaign, but he is clearly looking at past seasons as a guide for his prediction.
The Gunners have been perennial runners-up since 2023, and it has led many to question their staying power.
City won’t go away
Some, including Paul Merson, still believe that Arteta’s men will win the title at a canter, but this does look like another race that could go down to the wire.
While the Villa game has shifted momentum slightly, City are not going anywhere as we reach the halfway stage of the season. If Arsenal are to finally win the title, they may have to do it the hard way.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here