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Topics: Arsenal, Gary Neville, Mikel Arteta, Manchester City, Premier League
Alex Brotherton
Topics: Arsenal, Gary Neville, Mikel Arteta, Manchester City, Premier League
Gary Neville has claimed that while the Premier League title is now Arsenal's, Mikel Arteta's side will 'limp over the line'.
Arsenal currently hold a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, having played one game less than chasers Manchester City.
The Gunners have taken 50 points from 20 games, and are on course to to win their first league title in almost two decades with a mammoth points total of 95.
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However, despite their formidable form so far, Neville expects Arteta's side to slow down in the final months of the campaign.
"I said before that 85 or 86 points will win the title this season,” Neville said on The Overlap.
"I think this is a traditional season. For Arsenal to get over the line, it will be a little bit like Blackburn did against Manchester United in 1994/95. You don't win the title easily, you just don’t."
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Citing Arsenal's 19-year title drought, Neville predicted that City will keep up the heat right until the end.
"It is a struggle to win your first title after a number of years," he said.
"You [Arsenal] are going to limp over the line, you are going to struggle to get there and you will be put under pressure. Arsenal may get there because of what is happening at City.
"But in terms of Arsenal having a massive lead currently, I think we should take our minds back to Saturday afternoon after Arsenal had lost and we were thinking, ‘[the gap] is going to be two points’. That lead can just evaporate inside a week.
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"This could happen again in two weeks, in three weeks, in six weeks – this could go on for months."
Neville added: "There will be another weekend where Arsenal lose, and Manchester City can go to two points and then City play Arsenal after that and go one point in front. That could have happened in the next 10 days."
Next up for Arsenal is a home meeting with Brentford on Saturday, before they welcome City to the Emirates Stadium for a crunch clash on Wednesday evening.