{"id":2242,"date":"2026-03-03T18:27:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2242"},"modified":"2026-03-03T18:27:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:27:16","slug":"man-utd-legend-rio-ferdinand-makes-huge-arsenal-claim-for-next-season-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2242","title":{"rendered":"Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand makes huge Arsenal claim for next season | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former Man Utd and England defender Rio Ferdinand (Picture: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal will be a \u2018different beast\u2019 next season and an \u2018even harder\u2019 team to beat in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

The Gunners, who have not won a league title since 2004, boast a five-point lead at the top of the table with nine games remaining.<\/p>\n

That lead could have been even healthier but Mikel Arteta\u2019s side drew with Brentford and Wolves before winning their last two games against London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea.<\/p>\n

While Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League, second-placed Manchester City do have a game in hand and a home match against the Gunners to try and eat into their title lead.<\/p>\n

Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand expects Arsenal to get over the line in the title race \u2018by hook or by crook\u2019 and has suggested that could kick-start a successful period for the north London side.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think Arsenal will win this title\u00a0by hook or by crook,\u2019 he said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. \u2018I think they\u00a0win it by any means necessary.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think the following year, with that confidence and\u00a0the\u00a0silverware,\u00a0they become a different beast altogether and even more of a harder team to play against.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Mikel Arteta after Arsenal\u2019s win over Chelsea (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ferdinand also defended Arsenal\u2019s reliance on set-piece goals this season, insisting they are striking \u2018fear\u2019 into their rivals.<\/p>\n

Arteta\u2019s side have scored 32 goals from set-pieces so far this season and 24 from corners alone.<\/p>\n

Two goals from corners in Sunday\u2019s 2-1 win over Chelsea took their tally to 16 in the Premier League, the joint-most by any team in history.<\/p>\n

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\u2018I absolutely agree and respect it [Arsenal\u2019s tactics],\u2019 added Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles at Manchester United.<\/p>\n

\u2018I still think they\u00a0deserve respect for the way\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0crafted this and the way\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0got this together and become so dominant.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s\u00a0fearful now, you can sense fear in the opposition when they get a set-piece, the deliveries are a joke.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge against Brighton on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

Fabian Hurzeler\u2019s side have largely underwhelmed this season but back-to-back wins has taken them up to 11th in the table.<\/p>\n

Chris Sutton says Arsenal are not playing anywhere near their best but still expects the Gunners to move one step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy by beating the Seagulls.<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal\u00a0are not playing fluently at all, but look at the depth they have in their squad,\u2019 he told BBC Sport.<\/p>\n

\u2018At the moment it feels like they have got players who can come off the bench and impact games if they need it.<\/p>\n

\u2018This game won\u2019t be easy \u2013 Declan Rice is an injury doubt for the Gunners and\u00a0Brighton\u00a0have just picked up back-to-back wins, with Danny Welbeck scoring in both \u2013 but I still think\u00a0Arsenal\u00a0will find a way to win it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arsenal have already beaten Brighton twice this season, first by two goals in the Carabao Cup and then 2-1 in the league back in December.<\/p>\n

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