EPL: Danny Murphy names Arsenal’s nearest rivals for title race, picks top four

Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy has identified Manchester City as Arsenal's closest competitor in the ongoing pursuit for the Premier League title. Murphy also declared Arsenal as the frontrunners to win the league, with Manchester City closely following in second place, and Liverpool securing the third position, while Manchester United is set to finish fourth.

Murphy made these remarks during an interview with BBC Sport, just prior to the kickoff of the Premier League's inaugural matches this weekend. When discussing his rationale for placing Arsenal at the top and Manchester City at the second spot, Murphy noted, "Mikel Arteta did not have to go through the hassle of putting his players through rigorous training sessions like a new manager typically does."

He further highlighted the formidable attacking capabilities of Manchester City, regardless of the manager in charge or their opponents, stating, "I would still consider them as Arsenal's nearest rivals."