Gary Neville has urged Arsenal’s players to take a single game at a time and not think about the Premier League title race as they prepare to face Southampton on Friday night. The Gunners’ title chances took a blow on Sunday when they drew 2-2 at West Ham, having been 2-0 up after just 10 minutes, making it the second game in a row that they have blown a two-goal lead. This means that their lead over Manchester City is down to just four points, but they have also played a game more than the Citizens and travel to the Etihad for what could well be the title deciding game in just nine days’ time.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Manchester United legend Neville said: ‘This was always going to happen. In a marathon you’re always going to have difficult moments, it’s not a bed of roses. You can have ups and downs, you’re going to have injuries, you’re going to miss penalties, you can have your goalkeeper maybe letting one in that he shouldn’t do and some weeks he’ll save five or six.’
He added: ‘But today, I think Arsenal just need to make sure they recover for Friday night and take a single game at a time, get seven points in front. Don’t look at the newspapers, don’t look at the social media, don’t look at the reports for the next couple of days because there’ll be that suggestion that Manchester City can smell blood.’
Neville believes that Arsenal still have a good chance of winning the league if they follow his advice, saying: ‘Do your job against Southampton, be solid, get seven points clear and the Manchester City game at the Etihad will be a once in a lifetime game which will take care of itself and what will happen will happen. They could win and then they could be 10 points clear and all of a sudden they’re probably champions.’ He also advised the players to rest up and prepare well for the game against Southampton.
Gary Neville has urged Arsenal’s players to focus on their upcoming game against Southampton and not think about the title race. The Gunners’ lead over Manchester City has been reduced to four points, but they have also played one more game than their rivals. Neville believes that if Arsenal follow his advice and focus on winning their next game against Southampton, they still have a good chance of winning the league. He advised the players to rest up and prepare well for the game against Southampton in order to give themselves the best chance of success.