Gary Neville has delivered a brutal assessment of Arsenal's Premier League title collapse, insisting the Gunners never truly looked like champions during the decisive final stretch of the season.
The Manchester United legend and Sky Sports pundit pulled no punches in his analysis of Mikel Arteta's side, who finished two points behind champions Manchester City despite leading the table for much of the campaign.
The Psychological Blow That Cost Arsenal
Neville pinpointed Arsenal's devastating 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in April as the moment their title dreams unraveled. "When they lost to Aston Villa at home, I never felt they were going to win the league after that," Neville stated emphatically.
That critical defeat at the Emirates Stadium proved to be the psychological blow from which Arsenal never recovered, with Neville observing that the team's body language and performance levels dipped noticeably in the subsequent matches.
City's Relentless Pressure Proves Decisive
While Arsenal managed to keep pace with Manchester City mathematically, Neville argued that the champions' relentless consistency and championship pedigree ultimately made the difference. "I never felt Arsenal were going to win the league in the run-in, even though they were top of the league," he revealed.
The former England defender highlighted City's experience in title races and their ability to handle pressure during the business end of the season as key factors that separated them from their North London rivals.
Arteta's Learning Curve Continues
Despite the disappointment of falling short for the second consecutive season, Neville's analysis suggests this represents another learning experience for Mikel Arteta and his young squad. The Spanish manager has transformed Arsenal into genuine title contenders but must now find a way to get his team over the final hurdle.
The Gunners' inability to maintain their challenge when the pressure intensified raises questions about their mental fortitude and whether significant summer reinforcements are needed to bridge the gap to Pep Guardiola's dominant City side.
