Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes that Arsenal and Manchester City have a midfield presence that gives them the edge over Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title this season. It comes following a huge clash between the former two sides at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With the Gunners sitting one point behind City heading into the tie, there was slight optimism, despite losing the title to them last season as well as an inability to beat them under Mikel Arteta. The match that played out was a tight affair that would take a mistake to separate the two contenders.

That would come late in the game as Gabriel Martinelli's strike deflected off of defender Nathan Ake and into the back of the net. It saw the north Londoners break yet another narrative that was often put against them, while also leapfrogging their rivals in the race for the title.

Back-to-back defeats in the league for City now means that the early battle for the top has blown wide open, with Tottenham currently sitting top. The Gunners follow in second, with City third and Liverpool fourth, leaving just three points separating all of them.

If that was to continue through the rest of the season, it could make for an enticing and captivating race in the final few months. For now though, Arsenal and Man City remain amongst the firm favourites to kick on and win the whole league, given their ability shown last season and the strengthening over the summer transfer window.

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Having discussed the title race after the match, Neville believes that the two title favourites have something that Liverpool don't this season. He said on the Gary Neville Podcast: "They [Liverpool] could [be in the title race], they are more likely to than Spurs no doubt about that.

"I think Liverpool have something about them and today they played against a really good Brighton side. They have an outstanding goalkeeper Liverpool who will always keep them in a lot of football matches and they have got strikers who score goals and a lot of them.

"The midfield is attacking, has it got the defensive stability of what we have seen here today? If you put Declan Rice in Liverpool’s holding midfield position, or you put Rodri in there, I would say Liverpool are definitely on for the title. My question mark is if they have enough solidity in midfield. I don’t think Liverpool will quite get there, but they are in the race because of their manager - the manager is absolutely outstanding and is one of the best. I think it will be Arsenal and City again towards the end."