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Gary Neville explains new Man City Premier League title timeline with brutal Arsenal verdict made

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville
Gary Neville thinks Arsenal could blow their title chances next week -Credit:Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images


Gary Neville is worried that the title race will be decided before the final day of the season despite Arsenal continuing to push Manchester City all the way. For the fourth week in a row both sides were victorious, leaving things as they have been, a single point gap at the top.

Mikel Arteta's side once more went first, beating Bournemouth 3-0 in comfortable style, but were never truly given much belief that City would be unable to match their result. Erling Haaland scored four in a 5-1 win for Pep Guardiola's side just hours later to leave it as they were.

Now, with just two games to go, three for City, Neville can't see a way that the champions drop points. Although they do travel to Tottenham next week in the toughest remaining match, four defeats in a row for Ange Postecoglou's side has left very little to play for.

Spurs were beaten 4-2 by Liverpool on Sunday having gone 4-0 down shortly after half-time. Speaking on commentary Neville said he wasn't confident that Tottenham would be able to do their rivals a helping hand. "I think Arsenal fans, coaches and players, if you were looking at this Tottenham team and thinking can they somehow raise their game for that game a week on Tuesday, it is looking doubtful as you see them now in front of you," he said.

On his Sky Sports podcast after the match he continued: "That's the problem. A few weeks ago I said they [Arsenal] would have to be perfect and they have just had that one slip up didn't they, against Aston Villa. There's an inevitability to City isn't there at this stage of the season, getting the job done and doing what they need to do.

"They have got that difficult game at Spurs on paper in 10 days but the way that Spurs are at this moment in time I think it'll be difficult for them. A City that's playing for the title is a very different proposition and as I sit here this weekend, Arsenal played really well, did their job.

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"City played really well and did their job but you're wondering where the title race is going to twist. City don't give you the twists. You always said in the years gone by that there will be a twist and a turn, that something happens. I'm not sure it is going to happen."

City play first next weekend and can move back to the top of the league, albeit briefly with Arsenal going to Manchester United one day later. Neville thinks that it could be all over by the time Arsenal get to welcoming Everton on the final day.

"What normally happens in these moments, normally happens, is that if City win on the Saturday [against Fulham], Arsenal drop points on the Sunday and City win the title on the Tuesday [against Tottenham]. That's what normally happens, in my experience of these title races.

"You think, it's going to go down to the final day,' it may go down to the final day and if it went down to the final day that means that Arsenal have gone and beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford. We can laugh and we can giggle about how Manchester United have been but Arsenal going to Old Trafford and winning, that's going to be a hell of a win.

"I have that fear that the title could be over a week on Tuesday when in terms of a neutral, I want the title to go to the final day obviously. My fear is it won't if City win at Fulham on Saturday and if United take points off Arsenal on the Sunday.

"If Arsenal go to the last day of the season having beaten Manchester United then this is a massive increase in performance level, it is anyway. Arsenal have already proven they have a different side to them from last season but I just think there's an inevitability that City will be perfect onto the end."