Manchester City may have moved top of the Premier League, but Gary Neville insists their narrow victory at Burnley FC should give Arsenal FC fresh belief in the title race.
City edged a 1-0 win at Turf Moor thanks to an early strike from Erling Haaland, but failed to turn their dominance into a more convincing result and were forced to see out the game under pressure.
Despite the victory lifting Pep Guardiola’s side above Arsenal on goals scored, Neville believes the performance exposed potential weaknesses at a crucial stage of the season.
“It’s a win for Manchester City – but it’s the best win Arsenal could have hoped for,” he told Sky Sports.
City were expected to build on their statement win over Arsenal earlier in the week, but struggled to find a second goal and allowed Burnley to create nervy moments late on.
Neville warned that similar displays in the final weeks of the season could prove costly.
“They will have to play better than that or they will drop points,” he added, suggesting Arsenal remain firmly in control of their own destiny.
With five games left to play, the title race is finely balanced. Arsenal have the opportunity to respond immediately, with two fixtures before City’s next league outing, meaning momentum could quickly swing back in their favour.
Haaland, however, dismissed concerns over the performance, focusing instead on the result.
“We had a lot of chances but I’m happy we won. That’s the most important thing,” he said. “One-nil is amazing… we are top of the league. Be happy.”
Guardiola also defended his side’s display, insisting there was no cause for concern.
“No frustration. Why should I be frustrated? We are right now top of the table,” he said.
But Neville’s assessment suggests the title race is far from over and that Arsenal still have every reason to believe.
