4 points separate Arsenal & City, Neville: Guardiola will fire up his players

In the 23rd round of the Premier League, Arsenal lost 2-3 to Manchester United at home. Following this match, the gap between Manchester City and the Gunners has narrowed to just four points. After the game, Manchester United legend Gary Neville stated that Pep Guardiola would certainly seize this opportunity to motivate his players.

Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira, reacting to the team’s home defeat against Manchester United, directly pointed to the "mental fragility" hindering Arsenal’s title challenge in the Premier League. In this high-profile clash, Matheus Cunha scored a stunning long-range winner in the 87th minute, securing a 3-2 victory for Manchester United—managed by Michael Carrick—over the league leaders at the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s not just about losing the match; it’s how we lost,” Vieira bluntly said. “Saka and Trossard didn’t pose enough threat to Manchester United. The team needs a leader to lift morale. They must understand that once they step onto the pitch, they should play with more energy and take more risks—they clearly have the ability to do so.”

“But the players didn’t show enough freedom to express themselves,” he added further. “The team needs to go back to basics, play with freedom, and push forward proactively. Too many players today failed to deliver their usual level. This was a game they absolutely had to win—they should have sent a strong message to the rest of the league.”

In response to Vieira’s criticism, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta calmly replied: “No problem—we accept all feedback, no matter where it comes from, and those offering it have valid reasons. Ultimately, we must prove our mental strength through our performance on matchday. We played very well in Milan, but today simply wasn’t good enough.”

Regarding the reasons for the loss, Arteta analyzed: “I don’t know if this stems from psychological issues—perhaps the players have been playing too many matches—but primarily, it was our own poor performance, especially technical errors. Against a team that excels at punishing opponents’ mistakes, that’s the difference.”

Manchester United legend Roy Keane criticized Arsenal for playing timidly in the match and urged Arteta’s side to bravely “embrace” the pressure of competing for the title. “Today, all the pressure was on Arsenal. They saw the results from other matches and are currently in a favorable position across all competitions—that’s pressure, and clearly they felt it.”

“The key is how they respond to this pressure. In recent years, this has cost them whenever they’ve been in a strong position,” Keane continued. “The signs have been clear over recent weeks—in matches against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and now today—they’ve lost their previous momentum. I can’t believe they don’t look like a confident team. They are playing, but they’re clearly overly focused on the occasion itself—the high-stakes nature of this title-deciding clash. They must return to basics and actively embrace this challenge instead of fearing it.”

In his personal podcast, Manchester United legend Gary Neville suggested that Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are ready to capitalize on Arsenal’s recent dip in form. When asked whether City would be excited about being only four points behind, Neville responded: “A little bit, yes.”

“If you’re Mikel Arteta, I’m curious what approach you’d take tomorrow morning to reset your team’s mindset,” Neville shifted tone. “But if you’re Pep Guardiola—our former manager—he would definitely give his players a real pep talk. I can imagine Guardiola walking into training tomorrow and saying to his players: ‘Are you really going to let them off the hook? They’re nervous and anxious right now.’”

“I think he’d definitely say to them: ‘Do you truly desire this championship trophy? It’s right there in front of you—if you’re willing to fight for it, while they’re struggling.’” 

Neville further analyzed, “Guardiola will absolutely seize this moment. I know he and Arteta are close—they’ve worked together before—but if I were at City, I might have felt a bit down last week. After seeing today’s match, confidence would surely return, and I’d feel we’re back in the title race.”

“Now there’s only a four-point gap. Keep it tight until March or April, stay close on their heels, and see how much they can really handle. If I were Guardiola, I’d tell my players exactly that—and I truly believe he will do precisely that: stay glued to this team and test their true mettle.”