Gary Neville backs Arsenal for Premier League title after Gameweek 1

Gary Neville has maintained his prediction that Arsenal will win the Premier League title after the opening round of fixtures. His view came after Liverpool drew 2-2 with Newcastle United in Sunday’s late match.

Liverpool looked set to leave Newcastle empty-handed before Dominik Szoboszlai converted a penalty in the 99th minute to secure a point for the visitors. The result added to an opening weekend in which several of the league’s leading sides failed to produce convincing wins.

Manchester City also had to recover from a difficult position before beating Bournemouth 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium. City fell behind but turned the match around to begin their campaign with three points.

Neville, a Manchester United legend, said the early results reflected the disruption affecting the leading clubs. New managers and a large number of new players have brought significant change among the teams expected to compete near the top of the table.

That assessment also included Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat and Manchester United’s loss. Liverpool came close to losing at Newcastle, while Manchester City needed a comeback at home to overcome Bournemouth.

The opening results therefore left Neville even more comfortable with his Arsenal selection, despite the unpredictable start across the division. He had expected the first weekend to show uncertainty among the major contenders, and the results matched that expectation.

Arsenal’s title claim remains Neville’s early-season choice, while the first set of fixtures has offered no clear indication that one of the other leading sides has established control. The draws, defeats and narrow win among the teams highlighted by Neville have instead created an unsettled beginning to the Premier League campaign.