Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has warned Arsenal and Liverpool that Manchester City look poised to kick on in the second half of the season.
Whilst Arsenal were top of the Premier League table on Christmas Day, Liverpool currently find themselves in pole position. At no point, though, will either club have ruled Manchester City out of the title race.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won five of the last six Premier League titles. Last season they were an all-conquering force, winning an historic treble, as they triumphed in the FA Cup and Champions League, alongside securing another league title crown.
With Kevin De Bruyne having now returned from injury, Manchester City look as strong as at any point this season, and the Belgian made all the difference as his side claimed a 3-2 victory against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Manchester City are perfectly capable of now going on a winning run that sees them storm to a fourth consecutive league title. Mikel Arteta, who worked as Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium prior to taking up his role in the dugout at the Emirates Stadium, will be as aware as anyone of what that team are capable of.
As such, Rio Ferdinand, who won six Premier titles himself in his playing days, has now issued a warning to Arsenal and Liverpool. Speaking on TNT Sports, the former centre-back said, “watch momentum kick in now and these guys know what to do.”
“These guys know when to put the pedal to the floor and it looks like now everybody is going to be looking over their shoulders and looking around and saying, they are coming. They know how to get the job done, they have the experience, the depth, the class, the quality and the firepower. Formidable.”
Arsenal must respond to poor form to stay in title race
Arsenal’s poor recent form means that they have already lost ground in the title race. They need to make the most of the current January transfer window to bolster their squad with additional quality as much as possible. Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has already revealed that the Gunners are keen to add a new left-back and a striker to their ranks this month.
On top of that, having lost their last three games across all competitions, they have to bounce back with a win against Crystal Palace next time out. Failure to do so, according to reporter Charles Watts, will mean that it really is time to panic.
As things stand, although the odds aren’t as favourable as they were a few weeks ago, Arsenal are still in this title race. The looming threat of Manchester City simply cannot be ignored, though.
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