Rio Ferdinand still holds the belief that Manchester City will emerge as the winners of the Premier League title, ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool, although they are not his preferred team to triumph.
Currently, there is only one point that separates the three top clubs, making it potentially the closest title race in the competition’s history.
Recently, the Gunners took the top spot after winning 2-0 against Luton Town, while the Citizens defeated Aston Villa 4-1.
The Reds are likely to reclaim the top spot on Thursday night when they play against the bottom-ranked Sheffield United.
Ahead of Wednesday’s games, Ferdinand expressed his view that City would ultimately emerge as the champions, despite his preference for a different outcome.
Ferdinand, a legend of Manchester United, stated, ‘Based on current form, I believe Man City has the easier remaining matches, and experience will play a significant role.’
‘Liverpool face a challenging run of three consecutive away games against teams that are not considered as strong [Fulham, Everton and West Ham], which presents a difficult task. Aston Villa away matches, and Manchester United away at the weekend.
‘Arsenal have the most challenging set of remaining games, whereas Man City… I have been saying this from the start of the season and still maintain that they are the favorites.
‘I do not wish for them to win, to be honest!’
When questioned about not wanting any of the three clubs to win, Ferdinand responded, ‘I would prefer Arsenal to be the winners at this point. I am absolutely certain about this, instead of Liverpool and Man City. It's an easy choice for me!’
On paper, City faces the most formidable challenge as they need to come from behind to secure victory, something they have achieved several times before, including last season. This is why Ferdinand believes they will emerge triumphant.
He further commented, ‘I don’t think being the chasers bothers them. In such a position, experience holds a lot of importance.
‘However, I must emphasize the significance of momentum. Their draw over the weekend was a major disappointment from the perspective of Man City, as they anticipate winning every game here.
‘They need to regain consistency and start delivering continuous victories. If Man City wins today, momentum will swing in their favor due to their experience.’
Following their victory against Villa, City anticipates a similar performance on Saturday when they visit a struggling Crystal Palace.
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