Manchester United legend Gary Neville is still backing Arsenal to win the Premier League title this season, but he has sent a warning to the Gunners.

On Saturday afternoon, Arsenalsuffered a rare defeat as Aston Villa ended their 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions?with a 2-1 victory to close in on the Premier League leaders.

Man City also reduced the gap to Arsenal on Saturday as they earned a dominant win against Sunderland, with these results leaving Arsenal only two points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Fortunately for Arsenal, their next Premier League game is at home against bottom-placed Wolves, while Man City face the tough task of facing Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Ahead of these matches, Nevillehas encouraged Arsenal not to “panic” after losing to Aston Villa because this is a game that they “can lose”.

“That’s a game you can lose,” he said on The Gary Neville Podcast.

READ:?Arsenal dealt hammer blow by Aston Villa as Timber, Calafiori most feeble in title clash

“I wouldn’t be panicking at all if I was Arsenal off the back of that. You’re going to lose a game or two, you just are, and you’re going to win a lot of games.

“They could sit there and think that Manchester City are a couple of points off them but they’ve had a tough week, Arsenal. You could argue it’s been Arsenal’s toughest week of the season [facing Chelsea away, Brentford home, Villa away].

“They’ll realise that Manchester City have got those types of weeks coming at points in the season as well. I don’t think it’s a time to panic but they’re certainly going to feel that breath on the neck of Manchester City and Pep Guardiola and I think City will think, ‘If we can stay this close until April, May, let’s see what they’re made of.

“That’s what Manchester City have to do, they have to hang in there and sit on their shoulder and see what they’re about and see what they’re made of and see what they’re like in a real title race again.”

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Neville later said that the Gunners remain “favourites” for the title, though “not as much” as they were before this weekend.

“Christmas is an important period. There’s loads of points to play for. Massive month, December, with more Premier League games than ordinarily in any other month,” Neville added.

“City should be encouraged but I still think that Arsenal are favourites – but not as much as I did maybe a week or so ago!”