Gary Neville makes bold Arsenal title claim after Man Utd victory | Football

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has backed Arsenal to win the title again as he believes Mikel Arteta has the best defensive unit in the Premier League ‘by a million miles’.

The reigning champions got their new campaign up and running in convincing fashion with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Frank Lampard’s newly promoted Coventry just over a week ago.

The Gunners will look to pick up where they left off when they return to action away to Aston Villa, who were hammered 4-0 at Brighton in their opening match.

Arteta will undoubtedly have been keeping a close eye on results over the weekend as Manchester City – last year’s runners-up – maintained their 100 per cent start with a 4-1 defeat of Crystal Palace.

Chelsea and Manchester United also emerged victorious at home to Brighton and Ipswich respectively, while Liverpool and Tottenham both suffered disappointing setbacks.

A win for Arsenal on Monday night would put Arteta’s men level on points with City, Chelsea and Premier League new boys Hull City heading into the third round of games.

Speaking after United’s victory on Sunday, Neville suggested Arsenal’s ‘amazing’ set of defenders set them apart from his former club and the rest of the division.

‘It’s incredible what Arsenal have done really, to sign Ezri Konsa, because they’ve got [Jurrien] Timber, [Ben] White, [Cristhian] Mosquera, [William] Saliba, Gabriel [Magalhaes], [Piero] Hincapie, [Riccardo] Calafiori, [Myles] Lewis-Skelly,’ he said.

‘They’ve already got eight amazing defenders and now they’ve signed another really good centre-half.

‘It’s almost like they’re doubling down and saying: we’re not going to concede goals, we’re just going to make sure we’re better than everyone else defensively by a million miles – and they are. That will win them a title again.

‘If you were to ask if you’d swap Arsenal’s front players for United’s, Liverpool’s, Chelsea’s, you might actually keep the front players. From a defensive perspective or in midfield, you’d swap all of them.’

Neville voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s defensive unit compared to that of Arsenal after Alonso’s men clung on for victory over Brighton after going three goals in front.

‘They had to make the decision to bring in a new goalkeeper [Emiliano Martinez]. They’ve done that and brought in a big personality,’ the ex-United and England right-back continued.

‘It was [Levi] Colwill, [Maxence] Lacroix and [Wesley] Fofana that played there [against Brighton] and I just look at that… what I see are very talented defenders in a lot of teams but I don’t see units.

‘You used to see a back-four and you would think there’s a very good back-four or they’re a good back three. You just don’t see that now.

‘I don’t know whether it’s just the quality of the attacking play maybe, I’m not sure.

‘But Arsenal, of course, when you think of Timber, Calafiori, Saliba and Gabriel, that’s a proper back-four with the goalkeeper David Raya behind them. That’s the only real team I look at right now.

‘Obviously Manchester City had it when they were winning the league and I just don’t see it. Obviously Liverpool had it but there’s a real lack of units that are good, solid units now.’

According to Neville, Liverpool and Chelsea may both need to turn to the transfer market again if they are to establish themselves as a defensive force under their new managers.

‘Liverpool have [Bradley] Barcola, [Cody] Gakpo, [Florian] Wirtz, [Hugo] Ekitike, [Alexander] Isak, [Rio] Ngumoha, they’ve got a great group of attacking players,’ the eight-time Premier League winner went on.

‘Then you think defensively, the full-backs, to not support Andoni Iraola and give him new full-backs and for United not to give back-up at left-back or right-back… Leny Yoro has come on today, that can’t be your back-up full-back.

‘For Chelsea, maybe that’s the next part of their recruitment. They have recruited well this summer, maybe that’s the next part.

‘They’ve got talented centre-backs but that defensive part for a few of the teams is a real problem.’

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