Gary Neville thinks Manchester City can shake up the Premier League title race with a win at Arsenal, live on Sky Sports on Super Sunday.

Last season, Pep Guardiola and his side failed to lift a trophy for the first time in eight years, leading to a refresh of the playing squad at the Etihad.

After opening the season with a comprehensive 4-0 win at Wolves, City stumbled to back-to-back defeats against Spurs and Brighton before the international break, leading to more concerns for City.

However, a 3-0 win against city rivals Manchester United has lifted the mood somewhat at Man City and Gary Neville believes they now have the opportunity to prove they are back and a force to be reckoned with this season when they take on title challengers Arsenal on Sunday.

Sunday 21st September 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

“If I’m looking at that from an Arsenal perspective, I’m thinking it’s a game I’ve got to win,” he told The Gary Neville Podcast.

“I think Arsenal are a better team currently, and a more all-round team than this Manchester City team, but they’re going to have problems in the game. There’s no doubt that Manchester City are going to cause Arsenal problems because they’ve got too many good players.

“Arsenal have got to handle Erling Haaland, you’ve got to handle Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku, who have got real individual ability to be able to create moments.

He added: “Arsenal are going to have to play really well in this game next week, but balancing that defensive pragmatic solidity that they have, and we know they can deploy it in big matches, and then having that ability to think, we’ve got to win this match, and that mentality of winning the match.

That starts from the manager with his team selection, it starts then with the players when they get on the pitch with that sort of element of just going for it in moments where they can and not holding back, and having that real expression and something different that they need to win big matches, and they’ve been good in big matches, this Arsenal team.

“So, I think it’s a game that Arsenal have to win.

“I think it’s a tougher game for City than it is for Arsenal, but for City, if you really want to let people know that you’re back in the title race, and you really want to shake it up, then go and win.

“Go and win at the Emirates next Sunday, because that will sort of shake things up and rock things a little bit.”

‘City’s spine is world-class’

While Neville went on to admit he does not think Man City are the threat of old, he believes in the “world-class” spine of the team, including striker Haaland and new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, they have the talent to “destroy” teams on their day.

“This is not the Manchester City of two, three years ago when they were absolutely incredible,” Neville said.

“The levels aren’t the same, even in a game where they won 3-0 and they were comfortable winners against Man Utd, but they have a world-class centre-forward, they have a world-class goalkeeper and they have some good players in between, but it’s just not quite the Manchester City of a few years ago.

He added: “I don’t think that’s the best Manchester City team and I don’t think they’re the best team in this league. I think that Arsenal and Liverpool are better currently, but if they can somehow get Donnarumma, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Haaland at their best, they have a world-class spine.

“They have a world-class spine and they have an unbelievable centre forward. He’s the best centre-forward in the world, who can destroy teams.”

I don’t buy into the Man City narrative yet. I don’t. I know they beat Man Utd 3-0, scored good goals, but I still felt on the break they looked weak. They don’t have the stability.

‘Arsenal have a new dimension in attack’

Meanwhile, Neville has been impressed with Arsenal’s start to the season and in new signings Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, they now have a new dimension to their attack.

He said: “When you think about Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, you thought they would dominate the left and right wing of Arsenal for the next five to ten years, and yet you’re watching two players in Madueke and Eze dominate against Nottingham Forest.

“Obviously, Saka will come back in and Martinelli will play games as well, but Madueke’s a lot better than I imagined and thought he would be. He’s certainly a lot better than Arsenal fans thought he would be. A couple of runs that he made for England against Serbia in the international break were a different level. Arjen Robben used to make those runs against me.

Sometimes you play against wingers who are dribbling at you and you know they’ve got a trick and you know you’re going to be in for a difficult day, and then you’ve got players who are a step above, a level above. Now, I’m not saying Madueke’s there yet but his movements and the things he’s doing are very, very good, and I’m talking from a full-back’s perspective playing against him.

“Eze also looks like he’s got that something,” he added “So, with those two now and Viktor Gyokeres, they have options and a new dimension.

“The problem is with Arsenal, they’ve got so many silky players and football players in Martin Zubimendi, Martin Odegaard, Madueki, Eze, Saka and Declan Rice, but then you look at Gyokeres, and he’s a misfit.

“He’s a misfit for that group of players in the sense of he’s not technically amazing, but I actually like that sort of contrast, that idea of having this battering ram who’s a little bit ungainly, and I think he’ll beat up small teams.

Whether he’ll do it in the big games and score in the big games, I’m not as sure.

“I think the best defenders might handle him, and we’ll see, but I think he’ll beat up smaller teams for Arsenal, which is not a bad thing.

“Scoring loads of goals and getting 20 goals this season, which he could do, it doesn’t necessarily all have to be against the big teams. You want the odd one or two against them, but just early on, seeing him be a real threat, a real handful, and I think Arsenal need a bit of imperfection in their attack. They need someone who can get it into the box a little bit quicker.”

‘Arsenal need to take more risks’

Neville also believes Martin Zubimendi will be a crucial player for the Gunners this season but called on Arteta’s men to take a few more risks going forward as they look to win a first title since 2004.

He said: “I actually thought Zubimendi was as important to sign as Gyokores because I think that when I saw Arsenal last season, I actually thought there were moments where Jorginho played, where he just pops those balls through lines, and I’m not sure Rice and Thomas Partey could do that.

“It’s interesting how Rice is now being used by Mikel Arteta, but also by Thomas Tuchel, and in that advanced role, I actually think that’s where he should be. He should be up the pitch and not receiving it off his back foot.

“That’s not to say he can’t do it in certain matches, but Zubimendi, I thought they really needed that type of player to receive the ball in there to get it forward quicker, break the lines and get the ball to Odegaard quicker.

“I wasn’t expecting him to score volleys from outside the box or headers at the back post, which is what we got against Forest, but that’s the quality of him, he’s got great technical ability and he showed us something different with his goals.

“It’s not been an explosive start from him, but if he can start to grow and get better, and build that sort of relationship in midfield with Rice and Odegaard, and then you can start to get Saka back, and a couple others, it’s looking good.

“Arsenal have got real depth,” he added. “Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came on really late on, and that’s almost like fifth and sixth wingers now.

“They have so much creative ability but for me, now they just have to take a bit more risk.

“Just lift it by five per cent in terms of your expression and your risk, because they have got the players to do it.

“It’s what we said at Anfield the other week. Win games, keep clean sheets, be pragmatic, be great at set pieces, but just have that little bit more freedom, that little bit more something that might just be the spark and that edge that gets you over the line to win the Premier League or the Champions League.”

Watch Arsenal vs Man City live on Sky Sports on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm.