{"id":3446,"date":"2026-04-07T23:44:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T23:44:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=3446"},"modified":"2026-04-07T23:44:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T23:44:57","slug":"rio-ferdinand-warns-arsenal-on-course-to-say-good-night-to-premier-league-title-chances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=3446","title":{"rendered":"Rio Ferdinand warns Arsenal on course to say &#8216;good night&#8217; to Premier League title chances"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_09e96c\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Arsenal are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League but Rio Ferdinand has warned Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side could come undone against one opponent<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36978681\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"FIFA Legend Rio Ferdinand attends the VIP Welcome Reception ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978681.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Official-Draw-VIP-Welcome-Reception.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978681.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Official-Draw-VIP-Welcome-Reception.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978681.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Official-Draw-VIP-Welcome-Reception.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978681.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_FIFA-World-Cup-2026-Official-Draw-VIP-Welcome-Reception.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Rio Ferdinand has namedropped precisely which team could dent Arsenal's Premier League title hopes\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Rio Ferdinand has namedropped precisely which team could dent Arsenal&#8217;s Premier League title hopes<cite aria-label=\"Image: Michael Regan - FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Michael Regan &#8211; FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has <a aria-label=\"pinpointed the side that could derail Arsenal's pursuitLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.football.london\/arsenal-fc\/news\/arsenal-premier-league-rio-ferdinand-33725254\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">pinpointed the side that could derail Arsenal&#8217;s pursuit<\/a> of Premier League glory. And while Manchester City may pose the strongest challenge on the title itself, Bournemouth are the team he believes could scupper the entire campaign for the Gunners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Mikel Arteta&#8217;s squad, who triumphed 3-2 at the Vitality Stadium in January, sit nine points clear of Pep Guardiola&#8217;s City as league action returns this weekend. However, City hold one game in hand, which would narrow that advantage to six points should they claim victory.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">There&#8217;s also the significant matter of a direct clash between Arsenal and City at the Etihad Stadium on April 19. Taking all this into account, Ferdinand highlighted Saturday&#8217;s home fixture against Bournemouth as a potential turning point.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Speaking on his <a aria-label=\"YouTube channelLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YvW3vUr2LL8&amp;t=62s\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">YouTube channel<\/a>the United icon said: &#8220;This isn&#8217;t a slight at Arsenal and their players but at this moment it&#8217;s about who deals with the pressure best and experience counts for a lot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mirrorfootballarsenal#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Latest Gunners news and more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Man City have that so if they get within touching distance of Arsenal you guys are going to be in trouble because there&#8217;s been a momentum shift. They know this walk, they&#8217;ve walked this path too many times.<\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_4f362a\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Premier League fixture changes confirmed with FA Cup semi-final impact clear<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_4f362a\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Former Arsenal and Wales star Aaron Ramsey announces retirement in emotional statement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Arsenal have walked it and finished runners-up so they don&#8217;t know the winning element of this, they&#8217;re still trying to get there. This is where Mikel Arteta will earn his money. It&#8217;s not easy, I&#8217;m not saying it is, this is a difficult period of the season for Arsenal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;They&#8217;ve got Bournemouth at the weekend and that&#8217;s a tough game, if you don&#8217;t win that game&#8230; wow. And then you&#8217;ve got an in-form Man City the week after? It could be good night.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">City benefit from having already defeated Arsenal in last month&#8217;s League Cup final. That result will grant Guardiola&#8217;s men confidence, as will their recent 4-0 mauling of Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36978680\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36978680\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.52\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Antoine Semenyo of AFC Bournemouth celebrates the equalising goal of Dean Huijsen during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978680.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Arsenal-FC-v-AFC-Bournemouth-Premier-League.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978680.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Arsenal-FC-v-AFC-Bournemouth-Premier-League.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978680.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Arsenal-FC-v-AFC-Bournemouth-Premier-League.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36978680.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Arsenal-FC-v-AFC-Bournemouth-Premier-League.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Bournemouth devastated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates last season\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Bournemouth devastated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates last season<cite aria-label=\"Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus\/Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">However, it&#8217;s worth noting City won just one of their five games prior to that. Real Madrid knocked them out of the Champions League following a pair of home-and-away losses, while they also drew consecutive league outings against West Ham and Nottingham Forest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">As Ferdinand pointed out, the key now is holding their nerve from such an enviable position. Arsenal head to Sporting CP for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, before focus shifts firmly back to protecting their lead at the top of the title race.<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContentsEmbed_affiliate-contents-container__oTiet\" data-testid=\"affiliate-contents-embed\">\n<div data-testid=\"affiliate-content\" class=\"AffiliateContent_affiliate-content-container__10EX_ affiliate-content\">\n<p>Watch the Premier League on TNT Sports<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-disclaimer__dG5ST\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-text__8nmDa\">This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM AffiliateContent_content-details__U6C2M AffiliateContent_has-content-img___LY95\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_content-image__FxPNL\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Content Image\" fetchpriority=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article34663011.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s510b\/0_TNT-Sportsjfif.jpg\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_content-price-details__OpMC_\">\n<p>\u00a330.99<\/p>\n<p>TNT Sports<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"AffiliateContent_content-buy-btn__xWiVO buy-btn\" aria-label=\"Buy button\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3NGdNxd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Get TNT Sports here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM\">\n<div id=\"product-description\" class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">TNT Sports broadcasts select Premier League fixtures and fans can stream each one on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel. <!-- -->A monthly subscription also includes select Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup games.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Arsenal have a decent run-in, are nine points clear and have one of the less fancied teams in the quarter-finals of the Champions League,&#8221; added Ferdinand. &#8220;If someone had told you Arsenal would be in that position at this stage of the season with seven games to go, you would have bitten their arm off.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The six-time Premier League winner went on to highlight how Arsenal&#8217;s belief may have naturally taken a knock following their League Cup final defeat. Ferdinand also reckons City are hitting an upward trajectory at precisely the worst moment for the Gunners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;I think Man City can smell blood,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I thought the cup final was massive for City because if they won the momentum shift could be a big factor in the run-in.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Then Arsenal get beat (by Southampton) in the FA Cup and confidence is lowered again. If they win their game in hand it&#8217;s down to six points and then they get to play Arsenal at home&#8230;I don&#8217;t know, man, it makes it very difficult for Arsenal. They&#8217;re a dangerous animal now, City, and have the experience on Arsenal.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Arsenal are nine points clear at the top of the Premier League but Rio Ferdinand has warned Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side could come undone against one opponent Rio Ferdinand has namedropped precisely which team could dent Arsenal&#8217;s Premier League title hopes(Image: Michael Regan &#8211; FIFA, FIFA via Getty Images) Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has pinpointed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3446\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}