The Premier League title race this season has already started twisting and turning in ways that look like the early stages of a football story that will drag everyone through tension, excitement, and drama until the final day of the season. But nothing increased that tension more than what happened on Saturday afternoon, when Arsenal’s long unbeaten run came to a sudden stop at Villa Park. Aston Villa, a team rising in confidence under a manager who has brought courage and energy back into their football, managed to hand Arsenal a 2-1 defeat that shook the Premier League table and opened the door behind the leaders. For many fans, the loss felt like a warning that the season would not be smooth for Arsenal. And for people like Gary Neville, the Manchester United legend and now a prominent voice in English football, the result made him step forward to share his latest verdict on who will win the Premier League title.
Even with Arsenal slipping for the first time in eighteen matches across all competitions, Gary Neville did not abandon his belief in the Gunners. Instead, he doubled down on his confidence in Mikel Arteta’s team. But he included a warning. Neville explained that Arsenal are still favourites, but they must be careful, calm, and prepared because the pressure from Manchester City will soon grow heavier. City remain right behind them, breathing down their necks, reminding everyone that no matter how well Arsenal play, they are still being chased by a monster that never stops.
Arsenal’s defeat was surprising not because Aston Villa are weak, but because Arsenal had been showing such maturity and consistency over the past few weeks. They had beaten Chelsea away, dealt with Brentford at home, and travelled around the league looking like a team ready to handle pressure. But Villa Park broke their rhythm. Aston Villa played with bravery, pressing hard, attacking quickly, and making Arsenal uncomfortable. The Gunners looked slightly tired, slightly flat, and slightly overwhelmed by a Villa side that refused to back down. In the end, the defeat brought Arsenal back to just a two-point lead at the top of the table.
The timing of Arsenal’s slip also made things more complicated because Manchester City immediately responded by crushing Sunderland with a dominant performance that reminded everyone of what the champions can do when they smell opportunity. City’s win cut the gap and shifted the energy around the title race, and Gary Neville wasted no time in breaking down how the situation looks and why Arsenal must not panic even though the pressure has arrived earlier than expected.
Neville began by saying something simple but meaningful: “That’s a game you can lose.” He spoke on his podcast in a tone that sounded almost like reassurance, as if he were speaking directly to Arsenal fans who were panicking about the defeat. Neville explained that the Premier League is ruthless. Even the best teams lose matches. Even the great Manchester United sides during his career lost big games. Even Manchester City have stumbled at times. Football seasons are not built on perfection. They are built on recovery, reaction, and resilience.
For Neville, the Aston Villa defeat does not change the overall picture. Arsenal are still strong enough, consistent enough, and smart enough to remain in control. They just need to keep their heads calm. He even went further by saying Arsenal have been through one of their toughest weeks of the season, facing difficult fixtures that demanded high physical effort and full concentration. Three tough matches in one week can drain any team, and Arsenal handled most of it well until the Villa match tested their limits. Neville reminded everyone that Manchester City will also face similarly tough weeks as the season goes on. The Premier League always balances itself out eventually.
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But Neville did introduce a wrning: Manchester City will not go away. City will push. City will chase. City will pressure. City will stalk Arsenal throughout the season like a shadow refusing to disappear. Neville said Arsenal must get used to that feeling, the feeling of Manchester City breathing on their necks. He said that if City remain just one or two points behind by April or May, then the title race will reach its most dangerous and difficult stage. At that point, Arsenal will have to show what they are truly made of.
Neville believes City’s plan is simple: hang in there. Stay close. Stay alive in the race. Then strike when the pressure rises. This is how they have won previous titles. When Liverpool thought they were finally going to win, City emerged stronger. When Arsenal led the race last season, City waited until the final months and then took control. The champions know the rhythm of a title race better than anyone else in the league. They know when to push and when to hold back. They know the psychological side of the fight. Arsenal are learning these lessons again this season.
But even with all this, Neville still calls Arsenal the favourites. He did not abandon the prediction he made earlier in the season. He said they remain strong enough to finish top, though he added that they are not “as much favourites as they were last week.” The defeat reduced their margin. The pressure from City now looks real. But Neville still believes Arsenal have improved a lot since last season. They look more mature, more balanced, tougher, and more experienced. They know what went wrong last season when they fell apart in the final months, and they are determined not to repeat it.
Neville also highlighted how important December is in the Premier League calendar. This month contains more league matches than any other time of the season. It is a month full of quick turnarounds, fatigue, injuries, unpredictable results, and emotional swings. Many teams rise or fall in December. Some managers call it the “month of truth.” Neville reminded everyone that a strong December can shape the title race permanently. If Arsenal find their rhythm again and move through this month with confidence, they will keep their advantage. But if they drop more points, Manchester City will pounce.
Arsenal now prepare to face Wolves, a team sitting at the bottom of the Premier League. On paper, it looks like a simple match. But Neville warned that Arsenal must not become comfortable or casual. Wolves have nothing to lose. Teams at the bottom sometimes fight in desperate ways. Arsenal must take the game seriously and use it to regain momentum. As for City, they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace, a notoriously difficult stadium where even top teams struggle. City know this challenge well. Guardiola will prepare carefully because any dropped point now could give Arsenal more breathing space again.
Neville’s message to Arsenal was clear: lose if you must, but do not lose your mind. Do not panic. Do not collapse. The season is long. More wins will come. More chances will appear. This loss does not destroy anything. It is just a moment, not a disaster. But he also warned that they cannot ignore what is behind them. Manchester City have experience, hunger, and the mentality of champions. They will not slow down. They will not lose focus. They will wait for Arsenal to make mistakes.
Beyond the results, Neville also spoke about the psychological shape of this season. He knows that title races are not only about football. They are about pressure, emotion, fear, confidence, and timing. Arsenal’s players must handle being hunted. They must accept that every victory will be followed by questions and every defeat will bring criticism. The closer they get to the end, the louder the noise will become. Neville believes Arsenal have the character to handle this, but they must prove it on the pitch.
When he said Arsenal remain favourites, he did not base the opinion on statistics alone. He based it on how they play, how they react to pressure, and how they carry themselves as a team. He believes they have the balance needed to keep going. City, on the other hand, are pushing forward with renewed determination after their win against Sunderland. Guardiola’s side looked refreshed, confident, and dangerous. And as everyone knows, when Manchester City smell blood, the league must be very careful.
Neville’s comments also came at a time when many people wondered whether Arsenal’s defeat would affect their confidence. Losing after an unbeaten run can be painful, especially when the title race is so tight. But Neville insisted that this loss is not a sign of collapse. It is just part of the journey. Even the greatest teams lose tough away matches. What matters is how they respond.
Arsenal fans will take some comfort in that. They know Wolves at home is a match that should allow the team to bounce back. Arteta will remind his players to stay focused, stay disciplined, and return to their recent level of performance. City’s match against Palace will test Guardiola’s side, and the title race could swing again depending on that result.
Neville also pointed out that the Gunners have shown strong mentality this season by surviving difficult games. He mentioned their fixtures against Chelsea, Brentford, and Villa, calling it one of the toughest weeks they have faced. He believes these matches will strengthen them for the long run. Arsenal are learning how to manage pressure and expectations, which is essential for any side hoping to win the Premier League.
Towards the end of his comments, Neville shared his final verdict: Arsenal are still the favourites, but the gap has narrowed, and the danger has increased. Manchester City are close enough to make life uncomfortable. From now on, every point matters. Every mistake matters. Every moment feels bigger.
This is what makes the Premier League beautiful. The uncertainty. The pressure. The drama. The feeling that anything can change in one weekend. Arsenal and Manchester City are now locked in a race that will keep fans awake at night, refreshing the table, looking at fixtures, studying form, and imagining every possibility. December is only the beginning. The real battle will come later, but the door has already opened.
For now, Gary Neville has set the tone: Arsenal should stay calm but stay sharp. They remain in control, but only just. Their next moves will determine everything. And City, watching from just behind, are ready to chase them all the way to the final matchday. The Premier League is alive, the tension is rising, and the story is only beginning.
