Gary Neville has delivered a brutal assessment of Arsenal's Premier League title credentials following their devastating collapse against Aston Villa, suggesting the Gunners lack the mental fortitude to see out the championship race.
The Manchester United legend watched in astonishment as Mikel Arteta's side surrendered a potential lead at the top of the table, conceding two late goals to lose 2-0 at the Emirates in a result that handed Manchester City the initiative.
Title Dreams Shattered in Dramatic Fashion
Arsenal's title hopes suffered a catastrophic blow as Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins struck in the final six minutes to complete a stunning turnaround for Unai Emery's Villa. The defeat means City now sit two points clear at the summit with just six games remaining.
Neville, speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, didn't hold back in his criticism: "I didn't think they'd win the league at the start of the season and I'm not sure they'll win it now. There's something that's just not quite right there."
Neville Questions Arsenal's Big-Moment Mentality
The former England defender pointed to a pattern of fragility in crucial moments, suggesting Arsenal's performance echoed previous collapses when under pressure. "We saw it last season when they fell away, and we might be seeing something similar now," Neville added.
His comments come after Arsenal's Champions League exit to Bayern Munich, with the double blow raising serious questions about Arteta's ability to guide his team through the season's most critical period.
Arteta Faces Ultimate Test of Leadership
The Spanish manager now faces his biggest challenge since taking charge in 2019. With fixtures against Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester United still to come, Arsenal must rediscover their form quickly to keep pace with the relentless Manchester City.
Neville's assessment will make painful reading for Gunners fans who had dared to believe this might be their year after leading the table for much of the season. The coming weeks will determine whether this is merely a stumble or a full-blown collapse reminiscent of last campaign's late disappointment.
