Former England captain Alan Shearer has tipped Manchester City as the team “most likely” to mount a serious challenge against Arsenal in this season’s Premier League title race.
City slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United over the weekend, just 24 hours before Arsenal crushed Tottenham 4-1 in a dominant North London derby. The results widened the gap, leaving the Gunners seven points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Arsenal also hold a six-point cushion over Chelsea, whom they face in a crucial clash this weekend.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer insisted that City remain the biggest threat to Mikel Arteta’s title ambitions.
“I would still say City,” he said. “We’ve seen City do it after Christmas before — they’re used to it, and they can do it, we know that.
“I know it’s different this season and, defensively, they’re certainly not as strong as they used to be. But because they’ve been there, they know what to do, they know what to expect — I would still say Manchester City.”
