Louis Sealey
Published March 3, 2026 6:21pm
Updated March 3, 2026 6:21pm
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Former Man Utd and England defender Rio Ferdinand (Picture: YouTube)
Rio Ferdinand believes Arsenal will be a ‘different beast’ next season and an ‘even harder’ team to beat in the Premier League.
The Gunners, who have not won a league title since 2004, boast a five-point lead at the top of the table with nine games remaining.
That lead could have been even healthier but Mikel Arteta’s side drew with Brentford and Wolves before winning their last two games against London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea.
While Arsenal are favourites to win the Premier League, second-placed Manchester City do have a game in hand and a home match against the Gunners to try and eat into their title lead.
Former Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand expects Arsenal to get over the line in the title race ‘by hook or by crook’ and has suggested that could kick-start a successful period for the north London side.
‘I think Arsenal will win this title by hook or by crook,’ he said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. ‘I think they win it by any means necessary.
‘I think the following year, with that confidence and the silverware, they become a different beast altogether and even more of a harder team to play against.’
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Mikel Arteta after Arsenal’s win over Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
Ferdinand also defended Arsenal’s reliance on set-piece goals this season, insisting they are striking ‘fear’ into their rivals.
Arteta’s side have scored 32 goals from set-pieces so far this season and 24 from corners alone.
Two goals from corners in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea took their tally to 16 in the Premier League, the joint-most by any team in history.
@metrosportukArsenal make set-pice HISTORY! 😵 The Gunners have now scored 16 Premier League goals from corners this season after netting two more vs Chelsea. This is the joint-most in Premier League history alonside Oldham Athletic in 1992/93, West Brom in 2016/17, and their own Arsenal side in the 2023/24 season. 🎥/IG: takaharu_osako #ARSENAL #setpiece #cornerkick #premierleague #footballnews
♬ original sound – Metro Sport – Metro Sport
‘I absolutely agree and respect it [Arsenal’s tactics],’ added Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles at Manchester United.
‘I still think they deserve respect for the way they’ve crafted this and the way they’ve got this together and become so dominant.
‘It’s fearful now, you can sense fear in the opposition when they get a set-piece, the deliveries are a joke.’
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Up Next
Previous Page Next PageArsenal continue their Premier League title charge against Brighton on Wednesday night.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side have largely underwhelmed this season but back-to-back wins has taken them up to 11th in the table.
Chris Sutton says Arsenal are not playing anywhere near their best but still expects the Gunners to move one step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy by beating the Seagulls.
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‘Arsenal are not playing fluently at all, but look at the depth they have in their squad,’ he told BBC Sport.
‘At the moment it feels like they have got players who can come off the bench and impact games if they need it.
‘This game won’t be easy – Declan Rice is an injury doubt for the Gunners and Brighton have just picked up back-to-back wins, with Danny Welbeck scoring in both – but I still think Arsenal will find a way to win it.’
Arsenal have already beaten Brighton twice this season, first by two goals in the Carabao Cup and then 2-1 in the league back in December.
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