Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has delivered a damning verdict on the Premier League title race, declaring that Arsenal are finished and all the momentum now lies with Manchester City.
Title Race Takes Dramatic Turn
The Gunners' advantage at the summit of the Premier League was dramatically reduced to just six points over the weekend. Arsenal suffered a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth, while Manchester City delivered a commanding 3-0 victory away at Chelsea.
City, who have a game in hand over their rivals, can further close the gap when the top two teams meet in a highly anticipated clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Scholes' Blunt Assessment
Scholes, who secured eleven top-flight championships during his illustrious career with Manchester United, firmly believes the Premier League trophy will return to the Etihad for the fifth time in six seasons.
"I just think Arsenal are gone and all of the momentum is with Manchester City," Scholes stated on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast. "At some point you've got to beat your rivals to win the league. I've not seen them do it, they don't win big games. I can't see anything other than a City win on Sunday, I just can't."
City's Resurgence Under Guardiola
Manchester City endured a disappointing campaign last season as Liverpool halted their streak of four consecutive league titles. Pep Guardiola's side has also faced challenges with consistency throughout this current season.
However, following their elimination from the Champions League by Real Madrid, City have found formidable form. They defeated Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final, delivered a crushing victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final, and then convincingly dispatched Chelsea.
Guardiola's Coaching Prowess
Scholes highlighted the increased tactical demands placed on manager Pep Guardiola this season. "Pep has had to coach this team in the last six months more than he's ever had to do in years and years," Scholes added. "The teams he's had in the past, he's just had to sit back and watch. Now in this last six to twelve months, he's had to coach them. The likes of Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki, he's got to talk them through games a little bit and he's not really done that for a while."
This detailed coaching, according to Scholes, is a key factor in City's late-season surge and their current position of strength ahead of the pivotal weekend fixture.
