'Shook us to the ground' - Gary Neville spots worrying flaw in Ian Wright's Arsenal prediction

Ian Wright is backing Mikel Arteta to take Arsenal to the Premier League title after ending the final full weekend of fixtures before the international break top. Having beaten Brentford in a tight encounter on Saturday the Gunners then sat back and watched their rivals fight out a dramatic 1-1 draw at Anfield 24 hours later, leaving them in first place.

Only on goal difference,Arteta's side returned to the summit for the first time in 2024 after Kai Havertz's late winner against the Bees and then saw the heavyweight battle between Manchester City and Liverpool go their way too. Ultimately it remains just one point from top to third, but with fine margins, Arsenal have put themselves in a strong position to take advantage of any possible slip-ups.

Wright believes that the attention being away from the Emirates Stadium can play a big role in his side winning the trophy come the end of May. «Leave Mikel alone man, let him do his thing,» he retorted to Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

«You are looking at it and you can see that Pep [Guardiola] is going for the double treble, and [Jurgen] Klopp, unfortunately for Liverpool is leaving at the end of the season so that is the narrative there. With Mikel and the progress, you can see that he wants to continue that progression.

»When you look at the team and the players and the contracts they have signed up to, you can see this go on for a few years. His time will come, I’m hoping it’s this season and I am thinking it is this season."

Gary Neville is less certain now on who will take the crownhaving backed Arsenal to be champions for the first time since 2004 for much of the campaign, saying they simply must beat City at the Etihad to have any chance of lifting