Michael Owen has endorsed Arsenal to break their Premier League drought this season, while predicting a significant decline for Manchester City.
The Gunners have finished in second place for the last two years, narrowly losing out to Pep Guardiola’s team, who have managed to overtake them with strong finishes.
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However, Owen believes this could be Arsenal’s year, as they have not won the league since 2004.
Unlike previous seasons, Owen anticipates that Manchester City, who have consistently finished in the top two for seven years, will fall to fourth place. This would mark Guardiola’s worst league finish as a manager.
Owen predicts that his former team, now led by Arne Slot, will secure second place, with Aston Villa also holding onto fourth place and continuing their rise as a Champions League team.
He shared his thoughts with Casino Hawks: “Arsenal and Manchester City will be in almost everyone’s top four predictions, and I think Liverpool will likely be included too, despite some uncertainties about how well Arne Slot will fit in. I considered Newcastle, but Aston Villa are strong and seem to be improving.
“As for the rankings, if City aren’t going to win the league, they might see a decline. If City isn’t competitive after the first ten games, their focus might shift. I anticipate a big surprise this season, so I’m predicting Arsenal first, Liverpool second, Aston Villa third, and Manchester City fourth.”
Owen also suggested that Manchester City’s Premier League focus might become a distraction, but they could still win another Champions League if their focus shifts from domestic competitions.
He expects the three newly promoted teams—Leicester, Ipswich, and Southampton—to struggle and believes that it’s becoming more common for newly promoted sides to face difficulties.
He added: “I foresee the three promoted teams struggling in the Premier League as a trend. Last season, the three teams that were promoted went down, and if Everton and Nottingham Forest hadn’t faced point deductions, the situation would have been even clearer.
“While teams like Luton fought hard and were enjoyable to watch, if Forest hadn’t lost points, the outcome might have been decided earlier.”
