Neville: Arsenal will need wheelbarrow to get over line in PL title race

Eberechi Eze's superb early goal sealed the victory, taking the Gunners back to the top of the table with a three point gap after Manchester City.

The pressure was on the north Londoners to respond after losing to Pep Guardiola's side last weekend, with Man City going into first place on Wednesday by beating Burnley.

Neville believes the next four league games will not be comfortable for Arsenal as they look to secure their first league title in 22 years, with a lack of experience playing in to the anxiety.

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He said on The Gary Neville Podcast: "You can feel the edginess. It's a crowd that haven't seen it for so long, or haven't seen it at all for a lot of them.

"It's a group of players that haven't seen it before either and that comes across. If they get over the line, they're going to have to be wheelbarrowed over it. They're not going to sail over the line - it's going to be a real struggle. They're not going to all of a sudden hit form in this next couple of weeks."

He was also critical of Arsenal's overall performance despite their victory against Newcastle, adding: "A lot of things they did in this game weren't great from a tactical point of view.

"They're very good defensively and they really work hard. They really do sprint like crazy to get back into their shape, they defend really well and they're compact.

"They're so well organised and there's a lot of respect needed for that... it is something that you should be really proud of and it can win you a title.

"But what you want is that expression, that freedom where they play forward, they run forward and they do things with a bit more certainty in their attacking play and that didn't come at all today.

"The goal comes from a set-piece, but I can't think of other chances that they created in open play because they get the ball into the final third and then they recycle it quite safely at times.

"That's been a criticism of mine of them for a couple of years now. What's your idea?

"I understand recycling the ball around the edge of the box if you're 2-0 or 3-0 up, try and draw them out, let them get frustrated, work them, move them from side to side, but they're not doing that and when they're moving them from side to side, they're not doing it quickly.

"We're seeing them almost amble from side to side with the ball where someone takes a touch and another touch, and Newcastle's players are not really having to move at all. They're just standing in front of you.

"I don't see the idea sometimes and they're not positive enough."

Neville praise for Arsenal's perseverance with short corners

Eze's goal was scored from a short corner. It was the third of the game from the Gunners in the space of a few minutes, and there were groans from the stands after the first two.

It was clear though that they had a plan and it paid off with the winger's wonderful goal from range that ultimately was the winner.

Neville gave Arsenal credit for persevering with the routine, but warned they will need to add more goals to give themselves the best chance of winning the league.

He said: "They also deserve massive credit for what they've done with those set-pieces today because I reckon 99 out of 100 teams, when your fans are groaning after the second one, you're playing it into the box on the third one, but they did it again.

"They were almost probing with one area, but then coming in, and what they were trying to do is work out that space of how they got it to [Kai] Havertz and Eze was the key at the edge of the box. It's an exceptional finish.

"Eze looks like he's got a little bit of confidence and there's a bit of a swagger about him and that was really well worked.

"Set-pieces are a big part of this Arsenal team and it's meant that they've come up trumps because of it again.

"Arsenal can keep clean sheets, but City are in far better form right now from an attacking perspective. Arsenal are going to need to keep clean sheets, they're going to need to win every single game and they've got a chance for the title.

"The defensive work is absolutely outstanding, but they need goals as well."

'Arteta won't prioritise Champions League or Premier League - he has to go for both'

Amid the Premier League title race, Arsenal are also in the Champions League semi-finals. They play their first leg away to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Neville said of the duel competitions: "There's going to be no prioritisation because they're in the two biggest competitions - you have to go for both.

"The only way this works for Arsenal is to keep momentum, keep winning and they have to somehow take the reins off, while the defensive balance stays in place and that set-piece organisation stays in place.

"They've got to be more free in their attacking play. If you think about a glass half full, you can go and be a Champions League winner and a Premier League winner.

"At the moment, I think they're thinking 'we've got to win a league'. I don't think they're thinking 'we've got to win a Champions League'.

"A lot of these players don't know how to win a Champions League, but they've been so close in the title race and they'll be so desperate not to fall short in that.

"I do think that Mikel Arteta has to go for every single game and not prioritise any over the other, but he knows that the Premier League is the one that's easier to win than the Champions League right now.

"I think there are better teams in there than them in the Champions League and it's a cup competition. They've got three games left and they've only got four left in the league, so you could argue that it's easy to win both, but I don't see them getting past Atletico Madrid and the other teams in the semi-final, but I do see them having a chance with the league."