Before Sunday’s matchup with Arsenal, former England captain Wayne Rooney feels Manchester City has a psychological edge in the Premier League title chase.
After playing an extra game, the league leaders, now six points ahead, head to the Etihad Stadium for what Rooney called a possible “title decider.”
He claimed that City “know how to win the title” and “have a manager who knows how to do it” in an interview with The Wayne Rooney Show.
“Just based on their players and manager, I believe City will have the advantage in that. Compared to the Arsenal players, they will be able to maintain a little more composure,” Rooney stated.
They will be concerned because you start to wonder, “Where’s the next goal, the next win going to come from?” after being on a run and losing a few games. Your performance is significantly impacted by such pessimistic outlook.
Following Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth, City increased their momentum with a 3-0 victory over Chelsea.
According to Rooney, the winner of Sunday’s match in Manchester will be the clear favorite to win the championship. He also advised Mikel Arteta’s team to take a practical stance, saying that a draw would be “a good point” for Arsenal.
He stated, “They must be difficult to break down, make sure there are no gaps between the lines, and try to hit them on the break.”
The supporters must do all in their power to prevent City from winning, regardless of whether they enjoy that style of play. They must be strong enough to prevent City from scoring.
Rooney Issues a Warning to Spurs Following Relegation
Rooney also raised the alarm for West Ham United’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, who finish the weekend in the relegation zone following their loss to Sunderland.
He called Spurs’ performance in the northeast “a bit flat,” claiming that Roberto De Zerbi’s first game as manager did not show the anticipated new-manager bounce.
“If they do go [down], it will be a disaster for them,” he declared. “I believe that some of those players are probably thinking that if they lose, they can move on and sign with another team.
“It will be a nightmare for them if they don’t return to the Premier League in the first year.”
Tottenham will next host Brighton & Hove Albion after failing to win a league match in 2026. Rooney is adamant that the drought must stop.
He remarked, “They give themselves a chance if they can do that.” “It gets harder for them the longer they don’t win.”
