Man Utd legend tips Arsenal for back-to-back Premier League titles

Former Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction that Arsenal will win the Premier League title for a second consecutive season, arguing that the Gunners' stability under manager Mikel Arteta gives them an advantage over their closest rivals.

Arsenal begin their title defence with a convincing 3-0 victory over Coventry City.

Ferdinand believes Arsenal are entering the new campaign in a stronger position than the other leading contenders, many of whom are dealing with new managers, squad changes or rebuilding projects.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said Arsenal's opening performance was largely what he expected from a side that had already experienced the demands of a title-winning campaign.

"It was what I expected from Arsenal. Solid, hard to play against, shut down the opposition and then fed on some mistakes and punished them. They played like champions," Ferdinand said.

The former Manchester United star believes that ability to control matches, minimise danger and punish opponents could prove crucial over the course of a long Premier League season.

Ferdinand believes Arsenal's biggest advantage is not necessarily individual quality but the stability they have maintained around Arteta.

While several of their rivals have undergone significant changes, Arsenal have retained their manager and core structure.

"I don’t see anyone being able to challenge Arsenal this season. They’re the only team with stability. Everyone else has had big changes," Ferdinand explained.

"Man City have lost their manager and the most important player in football [Rodri], so I don’t see them challenging or being as close as they’ve been in recent years," he added.

Ferdinand believes that experience could make the difference when the pressure intensifies during the latter stages of the season.

"The experience Mikel Arteta has compared to the others is night and day. He knows how to win now as well. Not many managers have won back-to-back Premier League titles but I think Mikel Arteta is going to join that club," Ferdinand predicted.

He said, "I think this is going to be a period of dominance for Arsenal."