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Ahead of the clash between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates on 21 January, Rio Ferdinand claimed that the Gunners are the favorites to win the Premier League title.
Ferdinand, however, advised Mikel Arteta's team not to speak about winning the league in the dressing room. Speaking to William Hill, Ferdinand said (via Metro):
"Arsenal are the favourites for the title and rightly so, but if I was in that dressing room, I wouldn’t be talking about it. Of course, it would flash up in your mind now and again, but there’s such a long way to go this season that they just need to take it game-by-game and they’ll be on the right path."
The Manchester United legend further added that the Gunners look like a team who are focused on the job at hand.
"They look like a bunch of players that wouldn’t get too carried away and be focused on the title and neither does their manager, so if they can keep their feet on the ground and take it one game at a time, they’ll be there or thereabouts come the business end."
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand claimed Arsenal are benefiting from their decision to stick with Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta didn't have it easy during the initial stages of his tenure at the Emirates. The Gunners, however, decided to stick with the former club captain at the helm. Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand claimed that the north London-based side are bearing the fruits of their persistence.
"Arsenal have been absolutely magnificent so far this season. They have been everything that Mikel Arteta wanted and probably more. The club went through some tricky periods with the manager, but they stuck by him and they are getting the results now."
The retired central defender further added:
"He’s building a really, really good squad that is hungry and buy into what Arteta wants, so it’s a very good time to be an Arsenal fan. They are looking at top-quality players again and that calibre of player is looking at them with that little bit more respect than they did in recent times."
