Gary Neville says Manchester City are under pressure heading to Everton on Super Sunday with their Premier League title race against Arsenal very much alive.
A run of 10 straight league wins has seen Pep Guardiola’s side take control of the title race moving one point clear of Arsenal with a game in hand over their rivals.
However, with many expecting the Gunners to stumble at Newcastle last Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s side showed their mettle to secure a 2-0 win at St James’ Park to keep their hopes of a first league title since 2004 very much alive.
The race continues on Super Sunday with Man City, who played out a 1-1 draw in their Champions league semi-final first leg against Real Madrid on Tuesday, travelling to relegation-threatened Everton (kick-off 2pm), before Arsenal host European qualification hopefuls Brighton (kick-off 4.30pm).
Everton
Manchester City
Sunday 14th May 1:00pm Kick off 2:00pm
Arsenal
Brighton and Hove Albion
Sunday 14th May 4:00pm Kick off 4:30pm
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With both sides on Super Sunday it could prove to be a pivotal day in the destination of the title and Neville thinks Man City face a big test at Goodison Park, especially after their Champions League exploits in midweek.
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Speaking to The Gary Neville Podcast, Neville said: “The games against Real Madrid are monumental battles. They’re games of a lifetime against that kind of club, Man City will become all-consumed by those games and in between them they’re playing an Everton side at Goodison Park where they’ve had difficulties there in the past at times.
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“Everton are fighting for their lives, and something can happen in that type of stadium.
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“City will probably win. It’s more than likely. But there’s some pressure on them going to Goodison Park next Sunday, and Arsenal have created that. Those City players will have gone to bed after Arsenal’s win at Newcastle, trust me, with a little bit of a sigh, a dig to the ribs.
“Arsenal aren’t on the ropes, they’re not knocked out, it’s something they could do without.”
‘CL will take its toll on City but Pep knows what he is doing’
Image: Pep Guardiola's side face a run of six games in 20 days
The run-in to the season is now in full swing and with Man City going for a historic treble, the games are coming think and fast.
In midweek, Vinicius Junior and Kevin De Bruyne traded magnificent goals as Real Madrid and Manchester City drew 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
They now travel to Everton to start a run of six crucial matches in 20 days, including the second leg against Real Madrid next Wednesday and the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester United on June 3.
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And while, Neville insists the momentum is with City as they look to repeat Man Utd’s treble of 1998, he believes the run of games they have between now and the end of the season with take its toll, just as it did on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side 24 years ago.
“City could have momentum with the excitement of the games that they’ve got and the trophies they’re going for,” Neville said. “They’ve got a Manchester derby in the FA Cup final, why wouldn’t you be excited about that? They’ve got a title run-in, and they’ve also got Real Madrid, the most successful European club there is.
“But you have to say, those games will take a toll. We had it 24 years ago when we played Juventus in a double-header and then Arsenal in two games in the FA Cup semi-final and replay within two weeks. We had games sandwiched in between that in the league.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his players’ performance in the 1-1 draw with Real Madrid as ‘exceptional’.
“It takes a lot out of you, there’s no doubt you can make mistakes. Guardiola has started to rotate. I asked him the question on Wednesday after the West Ham game, I said ‘Sir Alex used to pick his team for maybe the more difficult game ahead of time’. He’s obviously doing that, he said he wasn’t, just concentrating on West Ham, then Leeds, but he always knew the team he’d have to get out there against Real Madrid. He’s making sure that De Bruyne, Gundogan, Rodri, Dias, they’re all having their rest, and Grealish as well. He knows exactly what he’s doing.”
He added: “I can’t think they’re going to win the second leg against Real Madrid easily, they could, obviously, but you get that feeling that against them you’re never ever safe. He just knows it’s going to take everything and more. And it did 24 years ago for us at Juventus, we went 2-0 down and somehow came back to 3-2. You just think City are going to have to do something like that, potentially, in part of this semi-final.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester City and Leeds United.
“I think he knows it’s big, obviously for Man City in more ways than one. Everyone’s looking at Pep, everyone’s looking at Haaland and saying: ‘The reason you came to the club is to make Man City Champions League winners. That’s not happened yet.’
“That’s what they’re here for, but they’re also here to create history and a treble would be historic. They’ve got Man Utd, which would be the most spectacular way to win an FA Cup final, although it would also be the most spectacular way for Man Utd to stop them winning the treble.”
A huge Super Sunday in prospect…
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Newcastle and Arsenal.
Finally, Neville also praised Arsenal and their ability to keep taking the fight to Man City and the improvement they have shown this season ahead of a huge Super Sunday.
He added: “The stakes are so high. I love this part of the season, it’s what we come alive for and it’s what we’re here for.
“I’m really excited, I thought the title race would be done. I thought us doing Arsenal-Brighton next weekend, I thought there wouldn’t be as much on it as there will be on Super Sunday now. It’s a big one, with Everton obviously playing City first and then Brighton vs Arsenal.
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Mikel Arteta says his Arsenal side have shown what it takes to win against a great team and they’ll keep believing they can win the Premier League.
“We’ll see what happens, but it means we’ve got that big weekend to look forward to. We want that, we want a competitive edge, a balance, we don’t want a team to just run away with it.
“That happened sometimes when I was playing, they weren’t even enjoyable leagues for us sometimes, I think one year we won it by 18 points in 2001. It doesn’t feel right, you want to be pushed right until the end.
“Liverpool have done that with City over the last few years, and City now, looking like they could get a gap, look like they’re being pushed by Arsenal in a way which I think is brilliant for this Arsenal group from where they were at the start of the season.”
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Gary Neville felt Jorginho put in a composed and class performance against Newcastle which reminded him of his former teammate Paul Scholes.
Watch Everton vs Man City (kick-off 2pm) and Arsenal vs Brighton (kick-off 4.30pm) on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports from 1pm.
Man City’s remaining fixtures
May 14: Everton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 17: Real Madrid (H) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
May 21: Chelsea (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports
May 24: Brighton (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 28: Brentford (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
June 3: Manchester United (N) – FA Cup final, kick-off 3pm
Arsenal’s remaining fixtures
May 14: Brighton (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 20: Nottingham Forest (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 28: Wolves (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
Sourse: skysports.com
