"I'll still have that doubt" - Gary Neville believes Arsenal's season depends on two key months

Gary Neville has provided his assessment of Arsenal's title chances.

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has claimed that Premier League leaders Arsenal's title chances hinge on their performances in February and March next year.

The Gunners leapfrogged defending champions Manchester City to the top spot in the Premier League standings with a statement 1-0 victory at Chelsea on Sunday (6 November). The club are currently on 34 points from 13 games, two ahead of Pep Guardiola's side.

Operating in an offensive 4-2-3-1 setup, Arsenal have turned a lot of heads this season, dropping points in just two games. The Mikel Arteta-coached outfit, who finished fifth last term, has also registered home victories against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Speaking on The Overlap (via Football London), Neville asserted that the Gunners will achieve their first top-four finish since the 2015-16 Premier League campaign. He elaborated:

"Last season we had our reservations about Mikel Arteta, but we wanted to be proved wrong because I like the manager and his style of football. We have 25 matches left in the season, with the massive disruption of the World Cup coming up, but I do see Arsenal getting in the top four this season."

Neville, an eight-time Premier League winner, insisted that the north London outfit's performances next year will shine a light on whether the club can sustain a title charge. He added:

"If Arsenal lose a couple games and the teams below you win those games, the pressure now ramps up and that is when we'll find out if they can handle the pressure. The big moment will come in February and March where we will see what they are made of."

Expressing his reservations, Neville concluded:

"The only thing they have proven in the last few years is that they crumble at the end of the season, until I see that they don't, I'll still have that doubt. Why would I not?"

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Rio Ferdinand names Arsenal's most crucial player in the ongoing 2022-23 season

Speaking on his YouTube channel FIVE, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand insisted that Gabriel Jesus is Arsenal's most important player, despite his recent lack of goals. He said:

"Listen, I still believe he's their most important player by the way. Without him, they are not the same team. But he just needs to add goals now. You can’t criticize anything else he’s doing."

Jesus, who has netted five goals and laid out seven assists in the ongoing season, has been goalless in his last five Premier League games.

Earlier this summer, Jesus arrived from Manchester City for £45 million after ending his fruitful five-and-a-half-year stint at the Etihad Stadium.