Arsenal's biggest title rival named as Mikel Arteta told to 'fear' challenge

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Arsenal have been warned that Manchester City will pose a major threat to their Premier League title ambitions , despite their current position. City are six points behind Mikel Arteta’s side in the table, but former Premier League manager Alan Pardew believes they will still pose a greater threat than Liverpool .

Arsenal are in a commanding position at the top of the table following their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on the weekend. Liverpool lost 3-2 at Brentford to make it four straight defeats in the league, while City were beaten 1-0 at Aston Villa to leave Bournemouth as the Gunners’ nearest challengers, four points back in second.

Liverpool are the defending champions but Arne Slot is currently dealing with a plethora of issues and are seven points adrift, leaving City are stronger candidates for the title. Guardiola has masterminded six title successes in nine years with the club and shouldn’t be written off, according to Pardew.

“That was a strange result,” Pardew told talkSPORT about Villa’s win. “I’m not sure if Man City were feeling the effects of their midweek game [a 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League ] but I genuinely thought that was a bit of a blow.

“ Mikel Arteta and Arsenal would have looked at that game and thought, ‘wow what a result that is.’ You can’t but fear Man City making a challenge, I think there’s a big challenge in them even though they lost at Aston Villa , I really do.

“The only worry is if they’re too reliant on Haaland, who’s really on form but is still going to need others to pitch in. In previous Man City teams you would get a few players really contributing but I wonder if there’s enough around Haaland to win the title.

“They need someone to step up to the plate and help out Haaland. There’s so much potential in that squad but Pep needs to see it on the pitch.”

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Guardiola himself isn’t throwing in the towel, having seen how things can change as the season progresses. “We have try to close [the gap],” he said. “Arsenal have been solid for many years. I’m concerned with how we can improve as a team and to be close. From my experience it’s (the season) so long. This my experience.

“There are many teams there. Bournemouth are doing really well and the other ones, and we’ll try to do our game. I was worried before the international break when we were 14th in the table.

“Listen, our job is not to look at the table. If they win all their games and win the Premier League , congratulations. But I have the feeling that the team is alive, the team is good…

“We have to do little details better but I don’t live in October and November thinking what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League. It’s game by game.”

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