‘They won’t win it!’ Gary Neville claims Arsenal WON’T be Premier League champions this season despite their EIGHT-POINT lead at the top of the table

Gary Neville has claimed Arsenal won’t win the Premier League this season despite being eight points clear of second place Manchester City – and also backed Manchester United to finish above the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta’s side reaffirmed their title credentials with a dominant 2-0 victory over north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday thanks to an own goal from Hugo Lloris and a fantastic strike from Martin Odegaard.

The result means Arsenal have now won 15 of their 18 Premier League games and lost just once.

However, Neville – who saw his former side United defeat City 2-1 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games – doesn’t believe the Gunners have what it takes to go the distance.

‘No (they won’t win the league),’ Neville told his own podcast. ‘But I said Leicester wouldn’t win the league. 

‘They won’t win the league. Manchester City will win the league, and I think Man Utd will finish second, and I know that will annoy Arsenal fans! 

‘I’d rather Arsenal win the league than Man City. I think it would be absolutely sensational for the Premier League.

‘I think about watching the Premier League, we’ve seen City sweep up, apart from Liverpool, over the past five years. To think Arsenal could come and win it, it adds to our league, it makes our league great.

‘I’d love Man Utd to win it, but I don’t think that’s going to happen this season.’

Pep Guardiola’s side have hit a blip over recent weeks – losing their last two games to United and Southampton – while they also dropped points against Premier League strugglers Everton.

However, Neville backed them to turn it around and believed the depth and quality in their squad would mean they will overpower Arsenal eventually.

He explained: ‘The reality of it is, I think at some point Man City will hit a run. Once they do, they’ve got to play Arsenal twice.  

‘If Erling Haaland starts to kick on, if City start to purr, if the defence starts to shore up a bit more than it has done, and they need Ruben Dias back if they can, I think City will win it.

‘At some point, there will be a very difficult period for Arsenal this season. Is it conceivable that Arsenal are going to continue as they are? I don’t think it is. 

‘Could they draw two and lose one in a three-game period, and if they did that, their lead is gone, and the pack is up with them? 

‘That’s what I think is going to happen, we’ll see a traditional Premier League season where a team goes out, the pacemaker, and then they’ll get drawn back in a little bit. 

Neville also hailed the job Arteta is doing with the Gunners and believes it will be an astonishing achievement from the Spaniard if he could guide his side to the title.

He added: ‘It’s so difficult for young managers to break that [Antonio] Conte, [Jurgen] Klopp, [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Pep] Guardiola, [Jose] Mourinho mould and become one of those super managers. You can’t break them.

‘If Arteta wins the league this season, he breaks into that bunch. He’s doing it anyway, because his football is fantastic. But he needs to win that trophy. 

‘So, fingers crossed that they do win it, if Man Utd can’t, which I don’t think they can, because I’d rather have that for the Premier League.

‘Man City have won too many titles for me!’