Wayne Rooney believes Manchester City hold a psychological advantage over Arsenal in the Premier League title race, pointing to their experience and composure in high-pressure situations.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash at the Etihad Stadium, the former Manchester United star said City’s track record under Pep Guardiola gives them a clear mental edge, with the players better equipped to handle pressure than Arsenal’s squad.
“I think City will have the edge on that, just purely the manager and players they’ve got. They will be able to stay a little calmer than the Arsenal players,” said Rooney on his The Wayne Rooney Show.
“They will be worried because when you go on a run and lose a few games, you start thinking ‘Where’s the next goal, the next win going to come from?’ That negative mindset really has an impact on your performance.”
City boosted their title push with a dominant 3-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, closing the gap on league leaders Arsenal to six points with a game in hand ahead of Sunday’s showdown against Mikel Arteta’s side.
However, recent setbacks such as their defeat to AFC Bournemouth have raised questions about their consistency as the title race intensifies.
Rooney labelled the upcoming encounter a potential “title decider,” suggesting the winner could take control of the race. While noting that a draw might still benefit Arsenal, he stressed the need for discipline and resilience.
“Whether the fans like that type of football or not, they have to do anything to stop City winning. They need to be resilient enough to stop City from scoring,” he said.
