Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Kiz has singled out Manchester United as Arsenal's main challenger in the fight for the Premier League title. He asserts that under Michael Carrick, the team has found its feet and now have a solid chance of success.
Arsenal heads into the new season as the reigning champions of England. Mikel Arteta's men recently secured a confident 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield.
When discussing potential contenders for the Gunners, Kiz emphasised Manchester United:
Who’s Arsenal's biggest competitor? I reckon it’s United. They’ve had more than half a season to settle in. I’m not the biggest fan of Marcus Rashford, but I do think he’s a good player, and his return is a boost for the team.
His colleague Andy Gray also views Arsenal as a primary contender this season but is notably more cautious about the other members of the so-called 'big six':
Champion of the Premier League? Arsenal is a solid shout. Not Liverpool. As for Manchester United, I’d say their chances are about 50-50. I’m glad they’ve kept Michael Carrick, but I find it hard to pinpoint who will be Arsenal’s main rival.
The discussion also turned to Chelsea under the stewardship of Xabi Alonso. Gray believes the London side possesses a strong enough squad to surprise everyone:
There are several teams that we just don’t know what to expect from yet, and Chelsea is one of them. Whatever your thoughts on them, they’ve assembled a group of incredibly talented players. They’ve signed Morgan Rogers—a fantastic player.
If Xabi Alonso can mould them into a proper team—and that's a big 'if'—then Chelsea could definitely catch everyone off guard.
Kiz also hopes Alonso can turn things around at Stamford Bridge but was much harsher regarding the club's internal dynamics:
This dressing room is a real snake pit. Alonso found himself in a similar situation at Real Madrid, where they chewed him up and spat him out in three months, so I hope things work out better for him at Chelsea.
But at Chelsea, no one understands football. The way this club has been run is just a joke. I hope Alonso can get it sorted. He might be the only one at Chelsea who truly gets football.
