Rafael Benitez explains 'key' ingredient in Premier League title race, tips Manchester City to edge Arsenal
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Published 04/03/2023 at 13:03 GMT
Manchester City's experience of dealing with the pressures of a Premier League title run-in gives them the edge over Arsenal in this season's race, says Rafael Benitez. The former Liverpool and Chelsea manager believes that experience could be key as the season enters the final stretch. City face Newcastle United on Saturday lunchtime before Arsenal host Bournemouth.
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Rafael Benitez believes Manchester City have the edge over Arsenal in the Premier League title race due to their experience of coping with the pressures of the run-in.
Defending champions City trail the Gunners by five points after 25 rounds, as the north London club bid to win the league for the first time in 19 years.
But former Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea manager Benitez thinks the Citizens are better equipped to deal with the challenges that await in the business end of the season.
“It’s just experience,” Benitez told BT Sport. “You can manage when you know what is going on, but if you don’t have the experience maybe you have more anxiety and you play worse, because you start the game, you make a mistake…
“I think the key is experience. In a title race, in a relegation battle, that you have experience – players, manager, whatever.
“They can manage it because they have had this situation in the past. It’s impossible that you will not know (about other results). Now with the phones, the fans, you will know what is going on.
“The key is that you have to stay calm, believe in yourself, have confidence in yourself and then try to do what you’re used to doing. You try to do your best, but if you are very nervous or anxious at the beginning, if you make mistakes it will be worse and worse.
“You have to stay calm and have confidence in yourself and be confident as a manager, give confidence to your team. What they say so many times, you go there, you reach a level, speaks to that you’re doing something right, then you have to keep doing that.
“If you are in the other part, you have to be sure that you do the right things and don’t panic. Experience is key in all these kinds of situations.
“Talking about Arsenal and Manchester City, I think City has an advantage because they have been in this situation for a while.”
City host Newcastle United in the opening game of the Premier League weekend on Saturday, with Arsenal then facing Bournemouth at the Emirates later in the afternoon.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was asked if the Arsenal players would be watching the City game in the hours before their match.
“There’s no doubt in my mind there will be televisions all over the place, the players have got their phones, the game will be on,” Ferdinand said. “It’s on your mind, you can’t get away from it. It can alter your mindset going into a game.
“I’ve warmed up before games, the team we were fighting were behind, then come back in from the warm-up and they’ve turned it around and they’re winning.
“We have to gee the changing room back up again and ended up dropping points that day and drew the game.
“It can effect your mindset if you don’t have the right experience, the right people in the team to get you motivated in the right way based on what the result is.”
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