Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said Arsenal “must not panic” after Man City closed the gap at the top of the Premier League against Aston Villa.
After the Gunners lost 2-1 at Villa Park, Man City beat Sunderland 3-0 to cut Arsenal’s advantage to just two points. Villa are in third place, just one point behind.
But while Mikel Arteta feels City are “breathing down his neck”, Neville says Arsenal must remain focused and strive to maintain a consistent force in a “volatile season”.
“That was a game we could have lost,” he said of Arsenal’s defeat to Villa on the Gary Neville Podcast.
“If I were Arsenal, I wouldn’t panic in that situation, we would lose a game or two, it would just happen, we would win a lot of games.
“They might sit there and think Manchester City are a few points behind, but Arsenal, we’ve had a tough week, arguably the toughest week of the season for Arsenal (away to Chelsea, home to Brentford and away to Villa).
“They will realize that Manchester City will also have those weeks at key points in the season. I don’t think now is the time to panic, but they will definitely feel Manchester City and Josep Guardiola breathing down their necks and City will think, ‘If we can keep it this close into April and May, then let’s see what they’re capable of.’
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Arsenal.
“That’s what Manchester City have to do. They have to hang in there, put their heads together, look at who they are and see once again what they are in a real title race.”
Neville also cited City’s own vulnerabilities, predicting that a team that can maintain a consistent level throughout the important festive period will be well placed to win major prizes at the end of the season.
“Man City gives you a chance,” he said. “Manchester City, a team that has been winning the league for years, never gave us a chance.
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Watch for free: Highlights of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland.
“(But now) every time I see them I think, ‘Yeah, we have a chance to score (against them).’ They’ll give us a nosebleed after one or two.”
“But Arsenal need to be as reliable and consistent as they were in the first half of the season to win the league.
“It’s been an inconsistent season, everyone is disjointed. We saw it on Thursday against Liverpool, Chelsea[against Leeds]Manchester United…Tottenham, a team that we expected to be in the top six or so, are all over the place.
“Villa were at the bottom of the table a few months ago and now they’re up, so it’s all really strange.
“Christmas is an important time. There’s a lot to play for to get points. December is a big month with more Premier League games than any other month.
“City should be encouraged, but I still think Arsenal are the favorites, but not as much as they were a week ago!”
