Gary Neville makes title prediction U-turn as Liverpool fired two-word warning

Manchester City suffered a fifth successive defeat across all competitions against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville(Image: PA)

Gary Neville has written off Manchester City’s chances in the Premier League title race, tipping Arsenal and Liverpool as the teams to watch. Following a fifth consecutive defeat across all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side on Saturday night, three crucial points were lost to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lilywhites put on a show at the Etihad Stadium, scoring four against the reigning champions. This result meant that Manchester City missed an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool, who faced Southampton on Sunday.

Instead, they’ve opened the door for Chelsea, Arsenal and Brighton in the hotly contested race for the top four. Speaking on Sky Sports after the game, Neville suggested that Arne Slot’s side have ‘no excuses’ not to clinch the Premier League title in a two-word warning to the Reds.

“If you’re Arsenal, if you’re Liverpool – I’m thinking the two genuine teams that can win the title other than City – you must not get carried away but feel there are no excuses here now,” said the Manchester United legend. “I’m looking more at Arsenal with that statement than Liverpool.

“At the start of the season, anyone looking at Arne Slot coming in and has done what he’s done would say: ‘I’m not quite sure that will happen’. This was Arsenal’s season if it wasn’t going to be City’s.

“The pressure is really on Arsenal to step up and go for it, they had a good win today. But for Liverpool to be sat at the top of the league, with that back five they have got and front players and options they have, they must be really fancying it.

“Big game next week (Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield) and I know there is a long way to go but it feels like if City were to win the title, it would be Pep Guardiola’s greatest Premier League.”

On Super Sunday, Neville did not hold back in his criticism of Guardiola’s side, adding: “We’ve seen City lose the odd game here, but we’ve very rarely seen them outplayed in every department, but that’s what we’re watching.

“They look well short. As short as I’ve seen them since Pep’s first season. I’ve not seen them as bad as this, how they’ve been in the last few weeks. He (Guardiola) will have wanted that international break to come, thinking it would be a reset moment.

“But now here, it further entrenches the opinion this is a City side currently in decline. It seems madness, when you think about what they’ve achieved. They’re easy to play against and teams are encouraged when playing them. The vulnerabilities are clear for everyone to see.”