Wayne Rooney makes score prediction ahead of Man City vs Arsenal ‘title decider’ | OneFootball

Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney has made his prediction ahead of a crucial “title decider” between Man City and Arsenal next weekend.

The Citizens took advantage of the Gunners’ slip-up against Bournemouth on Saturday to beat Chelsea and cut the gap at the top of the Premier League to six points.

Alex Scott scored 16 minutes from time to give the Cherries all three points against Arsenal in a 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, before goals from Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku on Sunday secured a comfortable 3-0 win for Man City at Stamford Bridge.

Man City will now fancy their chances of closing the six-point gap to Arsenal as Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand and face Mikel Arteta’s men at the Emirates on Sunday.

When asked if the match at the weekend could be classed as a title decider, Rooney said on his BBC podcast: “Yeah, I think it will be.

“It’s an important game and if City win if I make them favourites to win the league and if Arsenal win it it’s there’s for the taking. It probably is a title decider.”

When pushed for his prediction, Rooney added: “I think Man City will win, 1-0. It still won’t be done if that happens but it slightly gives City the advantage.”

When asked why Arsenal have struggled in recent weeks, Rooney said: “I think it’s just the pressure of trying to win the Premier League.

“We know how important experience is at this stage of the season and they’ve got quite a few players who haven’t won titles so that pressure does build up.

“You have a couple of bad results and you start searching for answers and now they’re struggling to get out of it.

“I still think Arsenal have a great chance to win the league but they’re starting to show signs that they’re cracking a little bit and Man City know how to win league titles.”

Man City boss Guardiola was pleased to see his side beat Chelsea but warned that Arsenal are the “best team” in the Premier League and Europe so far this seasoon.

Guardiola said: “The second half was extraordinary because we had the mindset. It wasn’t tactics. We know each other for a long time and the players showed a good mentality to win here, which is never easy.

“The past was something unique, but we are growing. We have long weeks now we are out of Champions League. We are more fresh, in training, everyone knows exactly what they have to do.

“We’ll see what happens next. Arsenal is a final but don’t tell me Brentford the next week will be easy. There are many things that are going to happen. I just said yesterday to the players they must relax.

“They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far. Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks. We have to rest.

“I would like to say to my fans – respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum.

“The mentality of the group. The hierarchy gave me the mentality of amazing players. that is the key to success. Always I felt in the last month and a half. Winning a lot in modern times is so complicated. We have a chance to prove ourselves again next week.”