Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher face off over their Premier League title-winning predictions ahead of the season opener

Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher face off with their Premier League title predictions.

Manchester City won a fourth consecutive Premier League title last season, but one pundit believes they will fall short.

Mail Sport’s pre-season preview has City lifting the trophy, while Opta’s supercomputer has also installed the champions as overwhelming favourites.

However, for Neville, City will play second fiddle to Arsenal, whose year-on-year progress he cannot ignore.

“I was with Arsenal to win the Premier League last year and I’m staying with them this season,” he told Sky News.

Gary Neville has backed Arsenal to win this year’s Premier League thanks to their year-on-year progress

Arsenal missed out on the Premier League title on the final day of last season, accumulating 89 points

“They’re on an upward trajectory and getting better every year.

“Obviously, they’re up against the greatest teams this league has ever produced in Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, so it’s always going to be tough.

“However, I feel Arsenal have stability with manager Mikel Arteta and they have stability in a team that is still improving.

“You can’t write off Manchester City, but I’m going to Arsenal again. They were so close last year and I think they can go that extra step this time.

Despite Neville’s protests, his microphone pal Carragher could look no further than Pep Guardiola’s side for the title.

Asked if he thought their dominance would continue, he said: “Unfortunately, yes.

“Arsenal will be the closest opponents, but Pep Guardiola, it doesn’t matter what league they are in, most of the time they win the league title.

“The only people who have managed to stop him are Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid one season and Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool a couple of seasons ago in the Premier League.

Jamie Carragher believes Manchester City will win a fifth successive Premier League title

City won a record fourth consecutive title with 91 points in 2023-24.

“That shows how difficult it is and it has been difficult for Arsenal with how close they have come in the last two seasons, but I know with Liverpool, Manchester City are a very hard nut to crack.

“I think most neutrals will be hoping there will be another winner this time and I think I would say the same because you don’t want the same team to win year after year but you have to take your hat off to City and Guardiola . .

“With the work they’ve done and the team they’ve built, they’re an extremely tough team to beat.”