Manchester United legend Gary Neville has said Manchester City are experiencing “post-treble blues” at the moment and might not be motivated enough to win the Premier League title this season.
Manchester City were held to a 3-3 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday (December 3). As a result, they slipped to third place in the Premier League standings, with them now sitting three points behind league leaders Arsenal. Pep Guardiola’s men have uncharacteristically drawn their last three matches in the English top flight, letting in a total of eight goals.
Neville Believes Manchester City Are Not Motivated Enough This Season
Manchester City became the second English team in history, behind Manchester United in 1998-99, to win the Treble last season. And as per Neville, having already reached the pinnacle of club soccer, City might not have enough fire left in them to do it all over again this season.
When asked to rate Manchester City’s chances of winning the Premier League, Neville said (via The Daily Mail):
“What we’re seeing is what I thought we would – post-treble blues. You’ve reached utopia in football terms and this mesmerising height they’ll never reach again. After that, everything becomes a little bit inferior.
“That used to happen regularly in seasons after we [Man United] won the league and the manager used to say you’re bored. He would walk in at the end of a game, you’re bored and waiting for the big games. There’s a pattern now [for City] at the moment of them not waking up and sort of drifting through games. I mean, conceding nine goals in four matches is so unlike them.”
Neville, however, clarified that City were still the best team in the Premier League and it would be mighty difficult to stop them if they manage to get out of their slumber in the coming months.
Manchester United Icon Backs Arsenal To End Premier League Drought
Arsenal led the Premier League charts for most of the 2022-23 season only to fumble at the end and surrender the title to City. Neville believes Mikel Arteta’s side have a much better chance this season, as they have learned how to win even when they are not at their best.
Neville added:
“What I’ve seen from Arsenal so far is that they’ve not been at their best so far, but that gives me more confidence that they are going to win the league.
“I honestly think that to win the league by playing beautiful pretty football that’s not what happens. You have to slog it out through periods of the season where you don’t play well and in the last ten games of the last season they couldn’t dig in to get results.”
Arsenal, who have not won the league title since 2023, have been the most economical team in the Premier League this season. Playing 14 games, Arsenal have won 10, drawn thrice, and lost only once, scoring 29 goals and conceding a league-best 11.
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