Gary Neville has issued a stark warning to Arsenal, stating that they risk being forgotten if they fail to secure a major trophy this season. After finishing second behind Manchester City for two consecutive years, the Gunners are determined to end Pep Guardiola’s dominance in the Premier League.
Despite Arsenal’s undeniable strength under Mikel Arteta, former Manchester United star Neville believes that without a Premier League or Champions League title, Arsenal could be dismissed as “nearly men” of football. Neville challenged the team to deliver a “statement win” against Manchester City in their upcoming clash on Sunday.
What Neville Said:
“If this superb Arsenal team doesn’t win the Premier League or the Champions League, then they can forget about going down in history. That’s harsh but the reality of elite sport,” Neville wrote in The Overlap newsletter. “No one will fondly recall the magnificence of William Saliba and Gabriel at the back, the brilliance of Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, David Raya’s extraordinary saves, or the incision of Bukayo Saka up front. There will be no Netflix documentaries. They will never be feted or admired. They will be dismissed as nearly men.”
Neville added, “History is unforgiving of those who fall just short. For all the excellent work they’ve done in the past two years, there is still a step to take. Sunday’s clash with Manchester City at the Etihad may be too early to describe as a title decider, but Arsenal need a statement win. They need to damage Manchester City and prove to themselves that they are the team of the moment.”
As Arsenal prepare for their highly anticipated match against City, the pressure is mounting for Arteta’s squad to deliver and prove their place among football’s elite.
