Sky Sports’ Gary Neville says Arsenal “must not panic” after Manchester City closed the gap on the top of the Premier League table after defeat to Aston Villa.

After the Gunners lost 1-2 at Villa Park, Manchester City defeated Sunderland 3-0, reducing Arsenal’s advantage to only 2 points. Villa are just one point behind in third place.

However, Neville said that while Mikel Arteta will feel the “breath on his neck” from Manchester City, Arsenal must stay focused and try to remain a consistent force in an “unsettled season”.

“This is a game you can lose,” he said. Gary Neville Podcast Regarding Arsenal’s loss to Villa.

“If I were Arsenal I wouldn’t panic at all. You’ll lose one or two games but you’ll win a lot.”

“They can sit there and think City are a few points behind them, but they’ve had a tough week, Arsenal. You could argue it’s Arsenal’s toughest week of the season (Chelsea away, Brentford at home, Villa away).

“They will realize that Manchester City are going to have a few weeks like this at some point in the season. I don’t think it’s time to panic but they will certainly feel the breath on City’s and Guardiola’s necks and I think City will think, ‘If we can stay this close until April, May, let’s see what they are made of.

“That’s what City have to do, they have to hang in there, sit on their shoulders and see what they are doing, see what they are made of and see what they are like in a real title race.”

Neville also pointed out City’s own weaknesses and believes that only the team that can maintain a consistent level during the crucial festive period will be in a good position to compete for the big prize at the end of the season.

“Manchester City gives you a chance,” he said. “Manchester City, who kept winning the league all those years, didn’t give you many chances at all.

“(But now) every time I watch them play I think, ‘Yeah, you have a chance to score (against them). They’ve had a nosebleed once or twice.

“But Arsenal have to be reliable and consistent because they won the league in the first half of the season.

“It’s been an inconsistent season. Everybody is in this place. We saw it on Thursday with Liverpool, Chelsea (against Leeds), Manchester United… the team you thought would be in the top six – Tottenham – they were all over the place.”

“Villa were at rock bottom a few months ago and now they’re up. So it’s all strange.

“Christmas is a big time. There are a lot of points up for grabs. December is a big month with more Premier League games than any other month.

“Man City should be encouraged but I still think Arsenal are the favorites – but not in the same way I did a week or so ago!”