Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville warned that Arsenal will have to be "wheelbarrowed" across the finish line if they hope to clinch the Premier League crown after their narrow 1-0 triumph over Newcastle on Saturday night. The decisive strike came from Eberechi Eze, whose early, brilliant finish propelled the Gunners back to the summit of the table, restoring a three‑point lead over Manchester City.
The victory was especially significant because Arsenal entered the match under pressure. They had been beaten by Pep Guardiola’s side the previous weekend, a loss that allowed City to overtake them after a win against Burnley.
Neville believes the upcoming four league fixtures will be anything but easy for a side chasing its first league title in 22 years. He points to a lack of experience in high‑stakes situations as a factor that could heighten anxiety among the north London players. During an episode of The Gary Neville Podcast, the former Manchester United defender said, "You can feel the edginess.
It's a crowd that hasn't seen a title race this close for a long time, and many of the players haven't lived through it either. If they manage to get over the line, they'll need to be wheelbarrowed across it – it won’t be a smooth sail, it will be a genuine struggle. They won’t suddenly find a burst of form in the next couple of weeks." Neville was also critical of Arsenal’s overall display, even though they secured the win. He noted, "A lot of what they did in this game wasn’t great from a tactical perspective." He praised the defensive discipline, saying the team were "very good defensively, they work hard, sprint back into shape, stay compact and are well organised – qualities that can win you a title." However, he argued that the side lacked the attacking freedom and certainty that are required to dominate a title race.
"What you want is expression, that freedom to go forward, to run at the opposition and to be decisive in the final third – that simply wasn’t there today." The only goal came from a set‑piece, and Neville admitted he could not recall any other clear‑cut chances created in open play. He explained, "They get the ball into the final third and then recycle it safely at times, which has been a criticism of mine for a couple of years. I understand the idea of ball‑recycling when you’re 2‑0 or 3‑0 up, trying to draw the opponent out, but Arsenal weren’t doing that quickly enough.
They were almost ambling side‑to‑side, taking one touch after another, while Newcastle’s defenders were standing relatively still." Eze’s goal originated from a short corner, the third such set‑piece Arsenal executed in the match. In the first ten minutes they used three short corners – a third of all the short corners they have employed this season, having taken only six of them in 33 league games up to that point. Neville gave credit to the Gunners for persisting with the routine, but warned that they must add more goals if they hope to keep pace with City’s attacking firepower.
He said, "They deserve massive credit for the way they executed those set‑pieces. Most teams, after two failed attempts, would revert to a traditional corner, but Arsenal stuck with the plan and it paid off. The movement they created at the edge of the box, especially the link‑up to Kai Havertz and the finish by Eze, was exceptional." Neville also highlighted Eze’s confidence, noting a swagger in his demeanor that bodes well for Arsenal’s attacking prospects.
"Set‑pieces are a big part of this Arsenal team and they’ve come up trumps again," he added. Yet he reminded that defensive solidity alone will not be enough: "Arsenal can keep clean sheets, but City are in far better form offensively.
Arsenal need to win every single game and they need goals as well." Beyond the league, Arsenal are also juggling a Champions League semi‑final against Atletico Madrid, with the first leg scheduled for Wednesday. Neville stressed that there will be no prioritisation between the two competitions: "They’re in the two biggest tournaments, so they have to go for both. The only way this works is to keep momentum, keep winning, and maintain the defensive balance and set‑piece organisation while becoming freer in attack." He warned that the players may be more focused on the league than the European cup, saying, "I think they’re thinking ‘we’ve got to win the league’. I don’t think they’re thinking ‘we’ve got to win the Champions League’ yet.
Many of these players haven’t won the Champions League before, and they’ll be desperate not to fall short in that competition as well." Neville concluded that manager Mikel Arteta must treat every match with equal importance, but acknowledged that the Premier League is currently the more attainable prize. "The Champions League is a knockout cup with stronger opponents, while the league offers four games left for Arsenal and three in the cup. It’s possible to win both, but I doubt they’ll get past Atletico and the other semi‑finalists.
The league, however, remains within reach if they keep winning and scoring." In summary, Neville’s analysis paints a picture of a side that has the defensive foundation to compete but must sharpen its attacking edge, maintain composure under pressure, and perhaps, metaphorically, be wheel‑barrowed across the final stretch of the season to claim the title.