“Got to take the handbrake off” Gary Neville On Arsenal’s Title Hopes | OneFootball

Arsenal and Man City Share the Spoils as Neville Questions Arteta’s Risk-Taking

The Gary Neville Podcast, with Neville joined by Peter Drury, delivered one of its most fascinating dissections of Arsenal and Manchester City after their 1-1 draw at the Emirates. It was a late equaliser that secured Arsenal a point, yet the conversation that followed focused on Pep Guardiola’s tactical shift and Mikel Arteta’s reluctance to fully unleash his attacking options.

Guardiola’s 5-4-1 Surprise

Gary Neville admitted, “Pep Guardiola resorting to a way of playing that I’ve never seen before, but I really liked it. He went to 5-4-1 and decided that he was just going to manage the game without the ball.” The Manchester City manager’s switch was framed as a deliberate response to Arsenal’s aerial threat. Neville explained, “Arsenal are a one-trick pony, set pieces, just such a large percentage of their chances and goals… he’s got nine giants on the pitch just to be able to head and they did it absolutely perfectly.”

That defensive structure held until stoppage time, when Gabriel Martinelli’s darting run and finish broke City resistance. Neville reflected on the lapse: “All of us just drop together five, six yards and they literally just head that clear. But they didn’t do it, and it is what it is. It can happen with good play, Eze’s great pass, Martinelli’s run, the timing, the finish was fantastic.”

Haaland’s Leadership and City’s New Physicality

Neville highlighted Erling Haaland’s development as more than a pure goalscorer. “I love Haaland, I think he’s a brilliant centre forward. He’s stepped up enormously in this last couple of weeks in terms of his leadership and his general performance. He’s really engaged, he’s engaged in his own box heading it away and he’s engaged up fighting with Gabriel and Saliba.”

For Neville, City’s evolution away from pure possession was striking. “It’s a different Manchester City. A lot more physical, a lot more direct, less football than they used to be. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still some really good players out there for City, but it’s a complete turnaround.”

Arsenal’s Missed Opportunity

The conversation then turned sharply towards Arsenal’s readiness to claim the Premier League title. Neville was clear: “My problem is that we’re starting a criticism of Arsenal from a very high bar. We’re talking about the last step, going from second to first, and it’s a huge step… You’ve got to win a title or else you will not be remembered.”

His strongest critique came when analysing Arteta’s selections. “His actions at half-time were of a manager who I think got it wrong because if you’re making two substitutions at half-time, it’s not gone to plan. You’ve given away 45 minutes in a big match.” Neville insisted that Arsenal’s attack was too constrained: “Arsenal not creating enough chances in these types of games. They’re scoring lots of goals from set pieces… but it’s not good enough. They’ve got Saka, Martinelli, Ødegaard, Havertz, so much talent. What’s stopping them becoming a thrill when they attack?”

The pattern, he argued, has been consistent: “The attacking substitutions only happen when they’re one down. That’s not right. You’re Arsenal Football Club, make your attacking plays at nil nil at the start of the game because that’s when you basically have the best chance.”

Title Credentials Under the Microscope

Neville’s central point circled back to mentality. “Do they really believe, number one, that they can win the league? Do they really believe? Are they really thinking it every single minute of every day? Because that’s what it takes.”

For Manchester City, Guardiola’s tactical innovation was evidence of a champion’s flexibility, even if the execution faltered at the last moment. For Arsenal, the draw did little to quiet the questions over whether Arteta and his squad truly know how to make the decisive leap.

As Neville summarised with a mix of admiration and scepticism: “I’ve got a lot of love for them and I like them, but they’ve got to take the handbrake off.”