Roy Keane says he’s sticking with Arsenal to win the Premier League despite Manchester City’s statement 3-0 victory over Liverpool that cut the gap at the top to four points.
City, celebrating Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th game in management, brushed aside the champions thanks to goals from Erling Haaland, Nico González and an on-song Jeremy Doku. Liverpool thought they had levelled before half-time, only for an equaliser to be ruled out for offside, and City immediately punished them with a deflected González strike. Doku’s curling finish on the hour sealed it.
Arsenal, who saw a ten-match winning run halted in a draw at Sunderland, remain in pole position. And while Keane believes City “have that spark back” with Phil Foden influential and Haaland relentless, he insists his pre-season call still stands.
“City are certainly back in the mix,” the former Manchester United captain said. “If Guardiola won it this year, given where they were six or seven weeks ago, it would rank among his best achievements. But I’ll stick with Arsenal.”
If the title race looks alive, Liverpool’s defence of the crown looks anything but. The defeat at the Etihad leaves Arne Slot’s side eighth after five league losses in their first 12 matches, and Keane didn’t sugar-coat it.
“This is crisis time for Liverpool,” he argued. “It’s one thing to lose at City, but seven defeats in ten in all competitions is nowhere near the standard. The decision-making for the goals wasn’t good enough, the intensity and energy were lacking, and the subs made little impact. City were stronger, more technical and more physical.”
City’s win pushes them back to second and changes the complexion of the early-season chase. With Arsenal’s lead trimmed and momentum swinging towards the champions, December’s schedule looms large. For Liverpool, it’s about halting the slide quickly or risking being cut adrift before the turn of the year.
