Savage snubs Arsenal as he names three sides who will challenge Man City for 23/24 title

Robbie Savage has left out Arsenal in his list of three teams that will challenge Man City for the Premier League title next season.

The Gunners led the Premier league for much of the season but a poor run of form over the last month or so saw them allow Manchester City to sneak in and claim the title.

Arsenal picked up nine points from a possible 24 over their last eight matches with the Citizens winning their last 12 Premier League games on the bounce.

Mikel Arteta’s side will now have to pick themselves up and go again next season with the Spaniard admitting that Arsenal “are going to have to nail the recruitment” in the summer to compete with Man City next season.

But even if Arsenal need a number of new players it still seems harsh that former Blackburn midfielder Savage has left the Gunners off his list of teams that can challenge for the title next season.

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live, Savage said: “Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are the three teams that can challenge Man City next season.

“But they will need to come up with 95 points to run them close.”

Man City boss Pep Guardiola praised Arsenal and their players during the Citizens’ Premier League title celebrations yesterday.

“It’s quite extraordinary. Big congratulations for the whole organisation for an incredible effort – be patient for all of us and we did it,” Guardiola said.

“I thought if we were to retain the title it would be more difficult because when a team like Arsenal is playing the way they are playing – 50 points in the first leg – I thought it would be difficult.

“In that moment it was a question of keep going and keep going and when they come to the Etihad be close to them and that’s what happened.”

Guardiola added on Sky Sports: “Similar to Liverpool, Arsenal got to 50 points and if they sustained that rhythm it would have been almost impossible to catch up.

“We had to push them and wait for them to drop points, which they did, and yeah. We always thought we have to be close to them [when they came to the Etihad].

“[At one point] we were eight points behind… Hopefully [we thought] we could beat them [at home] and we had to do it.

“After that, there were more difficult games, Fulham and Everton, with the Champions League games, FA Cup semi-finals… you never know how we are going to respond. But the team was outstanding, I would say.”

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