Former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov believes Arsenal have now replaced Liverpool as City’s fiercest Premier League rivals after years of dominance under Pep Guardiola.
City have been the standard setters in English football over the past decade, winning six Premier League titles in the last seven completed seasons and becoming the first side in history to claim four consecutive Premier League crowns between 2021 and 2024.
Guardiola’s side also reached the landmark 100-point campaign during the 2017/18 season, a feat Dickov says helped spark one of the greatest rivalries English football has seen.
“People are going to point to Liverpool and obviously the Pep against Jurgen Klopp, going head-to-head for so many years,” Dickov told GB News, courtesy of Gamblemind.
Pep Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into title challengers
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“City getting 100 points, then Liverpool the season after, finishing 97 points and didn't win the league, which is incredible when you think about it.”
The battles between Guardiola and Klopp defined the modern Premier League era, with Liverpool and City regularly pushing each other to extraordinary levels.
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Between 2018 and 2024, the two clubs shared every Premier League title except one, with razor-thin margins often separating them.
“For so long, it was four or five seasons,” Dickov added. “It was wonderful to watch. They were by far the two best teams in the country.”
Liverpool ended City’s dominance by winning the 2024/25 Premier League title with 84 points, finishing ahead of Arsenal on 74 and City on 71.
Arsenal have overtaken Liverpool as Man City's top rivals, Paul Dickov believes
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However, Dickov believes the rivalry landscape has now shifted towards Arsenal.
“So at the minute, because of Liverpool's poor form this season and the way they've dropped off, the biggest rivalry is Arsenal against City,” he explained.
Arsenal and City have gone head-to-head in both domestic and European competition this season, with Mikel Arteta’s side currently locked in another tense title race with Guardiola’s men.
Arsenal recently moved clear at the top of the table with just two games remaining, while City remain in pursuit with a game in hand.
“There’s so much rivalry there,” Dickov continued. “You put together the history between Pep and Mikel Arteta. Look at players that have played for both.”
The former Scotland international also pointed to clashes in the Champions League and Carabao Cup as evidence of the growing tension between the two clubs.
Paul Dickov has warned his former club City that the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool will come back stronger
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Despite naming Arsenal as City’s current biggest challengers, Dickov expects Liverpool to return stronger next season and believes the Premier League title race could become even more competitive.
“Liverpool are going to be stronger next season without a shadow of a doubt,” he said.
“Manchester United are going to be stronger. Chelsea are going to be stronger too.
“Looking ahead to next season, I think it could be the hardest Premier League to win in a long, long time. It’s going to be so competitive and really interesting to watch.”