Premier League title race: I don't see how Arsenal waste this opportunity, says Gary Neville
Arsenal are on the brink of the Premier League title after a 1-0 win against Burnley; Man City must win against Bournemouth on Tuesday to stay in the race; watch Bournemouth vs Man City live on Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm; kick off at 7.30pm
Tuesday 19 May 2026 09:42, UK
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville says he does not see how Arsenal "waste this opportunity" to win their first Premier League title in 22 years, as Manchester City face a tough trip to Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
Pep Guardiola's side need to win at the Vitality Stadium, live on Sky Sports, to take the Premier League title race to the final day.
If they drop points, the Gunners will be crowned champions after their own 1-0 win against Burnley on Monday Night Football.
Potentially winning the Premier League title has been long in the making for Arsenal, and former defender Neville says being able to overcome Guardiola's Man City side to finally claim the trophy will be huge.
Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast from the Emirates on Monday, he said: "The momentum that they've got, the excitement and anticipation, this has been five, six years in the making.
"This is not about just this season. This team and this coach have been waiting and waiting for this moment where it's in their hands with one game to go.
"They've had it pulled back from them two or three times in the last four seasons where they've just fallen short and the big question that I've been asking is can they get over the line because if they don't, trust me, it becomes a big problem.
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"It'll define you. If Mikel Arteta becomes a champion manager, it's a game changer.
"All of a sudden, the authority that they have, the fact that they can go the distance and they can beat a Guardiola Manchester City team to a title, that is no mean feat.
"They're on the brink now, and I can't see how they're going to waste this opportunity."
Kai Havertz's first half strike was enough for Arsenal to beat already-relegated Burnley, giving them a five point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Discussing the game, Neville said: "They got the job done in a typical Arsenal way this season, with what they put themselves through, but they seemed calm right the way to the end.
"They're very comfortable defending a 1-0 lead... they are really patient, they're solid, they're reliable defensively, they trust the goalkeeper, their centre-backs, Declan Rice in front of them - and right now they're a very strong defensive unit that are difficult to break down.
"It's really difficult to play that way, so there is admiration that I've got for them but they don't half make it hard for themselves. They're playing Burnley at home and the urgency and the ability to play forward quicker and make sure that you drive outcomes towards being 2-0 up. Then you can start to play and relax, but 1-0 I think that you're asking for trouble.
"Burnley weren't able to cause them a problem and that will be enough to get them over the line. Arsenal got the job done and they can now relax and watch Man City go to Bournemouth, and that's tough for Man City. Tough because they're coming off the back of the cup final, but Bournemouth are a very good side.
"It's [Andoni] Iraola's last game at Bournemouth at home and they can still qualify for the Champions League, so it's a game where they've got a lot on it. I think we could be seeing the champions out there tonight and they may already be champions when we get to Selhurst Park on Sunday."
Of course, Man City are no strangers to winning a Premier League title on the final day of the season, and Neville thinks they should keep Arsenal "honest" in the ongoing race.
He added: "I've got huge respect for Man City and what they've achieved over the last 10 years, what Pep Guardiola's done. If they were to go tomorrow night to Bournemouth and win, that would be that would be really big, because they must be thinking that it's slipped away from them.
"But we always used to say, keep the opposition honest. Keep Arsenal honest. Pep Guardiola will be saying, 'you've seen them against Burnley, when they go to Crystal Palace on Sunday, there'll be no favours there'.
"If it's 1-0 at Crystal Palace with five minutes to go and those home fans are there and there's a corner, before you know, it the league can just come away from you.
"Man City have won it in that way in the past, so it's about them doing their job [on Tuesday] and that's a big ask because even at their best, Bournemouth is a tough place to go.
"They can win there. They've got fantastic players, but that's the big one. I see both teams winning on Sunday, I really do, but the big question is whether it goes to Sunday - and whether City can beat Bournemouth."
