Manchester United legend Gary Neville has said it would be “beyond ridiculous” if Pep Guardiola can guide Manchester City to the Premier League title ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal this season.
Premier League holders Manchester City suffered a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in their Matchday 13 meeting at Anfield Stadium on Sunday evening, December 1. Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah (penalty) scored on either side of half-time to secure the win for the Merseysiders.
The defeat against Liverpool extended Manchester City’s winless run to seven games in all competitions. They have suffered six defeats in this span. It also marked their fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League — their worst run of results under the six-time English top-flight-winning manager Guardiola.
Gary Neville Does Not Expect Manchester City to Fight for Premier League Title
The result at Anfield firmly established Liverpool as the frontrunner for the Premier League title. Arne Slot’s men now have 34 points to their name after 13 games. Arsenal is in second place with 25 points whereas Man City is in fifth with 23.
Discussing the Premier League race after Sunday’s game, Neville said on The Gary Neville Podcast (via Liverpool.com):
“I’m sure he (Guardiola) will be thinking already about how he molds a new team. I said last week, ‘can they, from this, win a Premier League title?’ I don’t think they can, and I said last week after the game against Spurs that this would be Pep Guardiola’s greatest-ever title if they won it.
“If they won it after today, it would be beyond ridiculous, if they were to win it from being 11 points behind. Liverpool will have had to have completely folded, and City will have had to have arrested what looks like a decline of this team in this moment in time.”
Neville: Arsenal Could Still Challenge Liverpool for the Championship
Arsenal have not been at their best this season, leaking goals and dropping points in matches they are expected to win. Neville, however, thinks they still have an outside chance.
He added:
“They’ve had a stop-start beginning to the season: the sendings off, the injuries, dropping points. But it looks like they’re getting into a position whereby — it’s a big week, they have to go and beat Manchester United and Fulham — and then they have to look at Liverpool and think, ‘are you going to go and win at St James’ Park and are you going to go and win at Goodison Park?’
“They might be thinking, if they win their two games, it’s going to be seven points at the end of the week (if Liverpool drops points), and that’s a lot more achievable than nine.”
Liverpool will return to action with a trip to Newcastle United on December 4. Arsenal will take on Manchester United later that day.
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