Rio Ferdinand changes Premier League title prediction as Liverpool lead Arsenal

Ex-Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand (Picture: YouTube)

Rio Ferdinand has already changed his stance on the Premier League title race just three games into the new season.

Defending champions Liverpool are the only team in the Premier League with a perfect record after three games.

Arne Slot’s side beat Bournemouth on the opening day before nicking a 3-2 win at Newcastle United and scoring a late goal to inflict an early blow on title rivals Arsenal .

Speaking before the season started , Ferdinand said only two teams – Liverpool and Manchester City – would be in the running to win the title.

Ferdinand still believes only teams are genuine title contenders but says Arsenal have replaced Man City as Liverpool’s biggest rival.

Arsenal, runners-up for the past three seasons, began the campaign with wins over Manchester United and Leeds United before losing 1-0 at Anfield before the international break .

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, meanwhile, have lost their last two games – against Brighton and Tottenham – after an opening-day victory over Wolves .

Liverpool stormed to the Premier League title last season (Picture: Getty)

‘I think you always have to have respect for the champions, no matter who it is,’ Ferdinand told MailSport . ‘Champions normally go into the following season as the team to beat, that’s inevitable.

‘If you look at the way Liverpool have recruited in the summer, they’ve had the best window by far. Their intentions were pure and clean and transparent from the get-go, and they managed to execute everything apart from Marc Guehi.

‘If they had got Marc Guehi, I think they would have cleaned up everything, to be honest.

New Liverpool signing Alexander Isak training at Anfield (Picture: Getty)

‘I think the only team who will be anywhere near Liverpool this season is Arsenal. They’ve got a great squad, real good depth with who they’ve bought.

‘I think they’ve had a good window and if [Viktor] Gyokeres comes good, it puts them in a better position.

‘I don’t think we’ll see anyone else. Anyone you think might be a surprise, a Newcastle or a Chelsea, I think European football hinders them a little bit in that respect. Just the demands it puts on the squad.’

Rating Manchester City’s chances of reclaiming the Premier League trophy, Ferdinand added: ‘Pep Guardiola is never associated with a team that isn’t performing consistently well and getting trophies under their belts.

‘City weren’t up for the big trophies last season. You look at it and think “is that the tide turning and can they turn it back?”

‘That’s the challenge for these players and Pep. Can they rebuild this team and mount a challenge? That’s the question that’s going to be asked of them, and if he’s up for that fight. We’ll see.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have already lost two games (Picture: Getty)

‘They’ve recruited a lot of players in the last couple of windows. Those players need time to settle in as well. Can they start delivering trophies like they did before?

‘I think it’s going to be tough because Liverpool have gone again and recruited really well. Arsenal are there or thereabouts still.

‘Chelsea are recruiting heavily. There are lot of obstacles in the way of them getting back to being so dominant.

‘I wouldn’t argue against them winning again, but I would argue against them being as dominant as before.’

Liverpool resume their Premier League title defence on Sunday with a trip to Turf Moor to face newly-promoted Burnley.

Arsenal, meanwhile, welcome Nottingham Forest to the Emirates Stadium in the visitors’ first game since Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo as manager.

One of the most intriguing fixtures of the weekend sees struggling Manchester United travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on local rivals Manchester City .