Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas is making his top-four predictions. Like many other former EPL players turned pundits, Rio Ferdinand included, is tipping Arsenal to win the league.
For the second year in a row, the Gunners missed out on the top spot, nicked out by the more consistent and able Manchester City. Nonetheless, the Spaniard remains sanguine on this season’s chances.
Fabregas, the new head coach of Serie A club Como, joined fellow Gooner winner Emmanuel Petit on the Planet Premier League Preview podcast to give his insight.
“I really like Mikel because he’s a hungry manager, a very smart boy, intelligent and tactically he’s good. He has people around him that work very, very well,” said Fabregas.
Mikel Arteta is entering his fifth season at the Emirates helm. Two missteps against Aston Villa, run by former Arsenal coach Unai Emery, scuppered his chances. The 42-year-old Spaniard buttressed his defense by adding Euro sensation Riccardo Calafiori to the roster.
Could this finally be Arsenal’s year after a two-decade Premier League title drought?
“The thing that I see between City and Arsenal is that Arsenal is a young team, full of hunger and they just keep growing. You can see they are getting better, getting better every year.”
Midfielder maestro and Gunners captain Martin Odegaard leads the charge, following in the footsteps of his idols Fabregas and Mesut Ozil. But he’ll need to prove his mettle against Manchester City, which has won the league four times in a row.
Fabregas, who failed to predict Arsenal’s title run last year, is saying it again despite Guardiola’s dominance.
“With Man City, I just feel that it’s very, very difficult to get better than what they did with winning the treble, four times in the Premier League in a row, so I can see them only going down.
“I can only see them going down or staying the same, and this is the thing that makes me feel that Arsenal could potentially make it happen. I have to be honest: I said the same thing that I’m saying now last year.”
What are Fabgregas’ top four predictions?
When asked about his top four predictions, Fabregas predicts still rates Manchester City to finish second.
“Arsenal growing and growing, and I can feel that this could be the year for them. Arsenal, City, Liverpool, Chelsea (is my predicted top four),” he concluded.
Arsenal begin their 2024/25 Premier League campaign against Wolverhampton on Saturday. City will be tested immediately with an away visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday night.
