Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has said Liverpool, not Arsenal, is more likely to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title this season. Scholes believes the Gunners must beat the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City to prove they have what it takes to bring it home.
Arsenal Has Endured a Wobbly Start to Premier League Season
After finishing second in the last two seasons, Arsenal were widely expected to bring the fight to Manchester City this term. Mikel Arteta’s side began the 2024-25 Premier League season with two consecutive victories before drawing 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium. They have since played six games in the English top flight, winning three, drawing two, and losing one.
The two draws — both 2-2 — came against Manchester City and Liverpool, Arsenal’s primary title contenders this season. In both games, the Gunners conceded late to drop two invaluable points. The defeat (2-0), meanwhile came away at Bournemouth.
With 18 points on the board after nine games, Arsenal find themselves in third place in the Premier League rankings. Manchester City is sitting at the summit with 23 points, while Liverpool is in second position with 22.
Paul Scholes Believes Liverpool Is More Likely to Challenge Manchester City
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Scholes said Arsenal must beat their main rivals to validate their title-winning potential.
He began (via The Mirror):
“Arsenal have got to do better in the big games. At some point, they’ve got to beat Liverpool. If you want to go and win the league, you need to beat your big rivals – they’re big points and big games.
“I keep going back to that game last year at Manchester City where Arsenal had a great chance at winning the league, City had some players missing, and they were so happy with a draw. That’s a mentality that needs to change.”
He added:
“I know he had issues with players suspended and injured on Sunday, so he ( Mikel Arteta ) probably thought it was a fair result but at some point, you’ve got to have the mentality to beat these teams. You can win the league without beating the teams around you, but we always felt that going to Liverpool in March, if you won that game, it was massive – going to Chelsea and Arsenal winning games, it was so big.
“I don’t think Arsenal have proved that they can do that, but I think Liverpool can. There is no proof of that yet against this brilliant City team, but out of the two teams, Liverpool are the ones more capable of doing it than Arsenal.”
Arsenal will return to Premier League action with a clash against Newcastle United on November 2.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
