Steven Gerrard has maintained his pre-season view that Arsenal will retain the Premier League title, arguing that Mikel Arteta’s side have the depth and mental strength needed to withstand a sustained challenge over the full campaign.

Key takeaways

• Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the league championship by winning the title last season.
• A 1-0 victory at Liverpool on Sunday moved the Gunners three points clear at the summit.
• Gerrard believes Arsenal have developed the resilience required to finish ahead of their rivals.
• Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool were identified as the principal clubs likely to keep the pressure on the leaders.

Arsenal backed to sustain title push

The former England midfielder said he sees no reason to abandon his earlier prediction despite a competitive title race. Arsenal’s narrow win at Liverpool strengthened their position at the top of the standings and reinforced Gerrard’s assessment that the squad can manage the demands of a season-long contest.

He said Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have the quality to create separation from the rest of the league across the 38-match schedule, while Chelsea could also emerge as a serious contender after their improved performance in the second half.

Rivals expected to remain in contention

Speaking on The Overlap Daily, Gerrard said: “I think Arsenal’s squad, City’s squad and Liverpool’s squad are in a position where, across 38 games, those three teams — and Chelsea as well, given what they showed in the second half — will probably begin to pull away over time.”

While he expects the competition to tighten among the leading sides, Gerrard’s central call remains unchanged: Arsenal have the resilience to fend off Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool and lift the Premier League trophy again.