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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has backed Manchester City to win the Premier League title over rivals Liverpool and Arsenal this season.
The Merseysiders lead the way in the English top-flight, sitting at the top with 48 points after 21 matches. They're five points ahead of the Cityzens, who have a game in hand. Jurgen Klopp and Co. have lost just one match this season, which was the controversial 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on September 30.
Meanwhile, the Gunners, who started the season strongly, finished 2023 in disappointing fashion. Mikel Arteta's side failed to win any of their last three league clashes before the new year but have managed to win their first league match of 2024.
Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace in resounding fashion, securing a 5-0 victory against the Eagles on Saturday (January 20). When asked if Manchester City would win the title over Liverpool and the north Londoners, Ferdinand told The Obi One Podcast (via The Boot Room):
"Yeah, comfortable."
The Cityzens have won three successive matches in the Premier League and have talisman Kevin De Bruyne back in the squad. The Belgian midfielder turned the game around at St James' Park, with his side 2-1 down against Newcastle on January 13. By scoring and assisting one each after coming off the bench, he helped record a 3-2 win.
Manchester City will have secured their fourth title in a row if they are to complete the season on top of the league standings.
Bukayo Saka reveals Arsenal's secret weapon in title race against Liverpool and Manchester City
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, has revealed that the Gunners are working extremely hard on set-pieces this season. They've scored from 13 dead-ball situations, more than any other Premier League side.
Saka plays a pivotal role in the process, as he's entrusted with corner duty from the right-hand side. Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover's work paid off once again as Arsenal scored twice from corner situations in the 5-0 win against Crystal Palace.
Speaking about this, Saka said (via Express):
"We do a lot of work on set pieces. It's the worst, it's the worst! Nico [Jover], our set-piece coach, does a really good job though, he tries to make it fun and he's enjoying it. What he's doing is clearly working so we'll have to continue doing it."
Both Liverpool and Manchester City have managed to find the net with regularity despite the Gunners' proficiency from set-pieces. Liverpool have scored 47 in the Premier League, one fewer than Manchester City, who've netted the most this season.
