Former Manchester City manager, Stuart Pearce, has made a bold prediction by snubbing his former club, as well as Arsenal, and naming Newcastle United as the surprise team to win the Premier League title this season. Pearce expressed this unexpected perspective during an interview on talkSPORT.
When asked if he believed Manchester City would reclaim the Premier League title after their recent defeats to Wolves and Arsenal, Pearce confidently stated, “No, honestly speaking. At the beginning of the season, I predicted that Newcastle would win the league, and I’m not wavering from that prediction. I still stand by it.”
One of the main reasons why Pearce doesn’t see Manchester City reclaiming the title is the absence of Kevin De Bruyne due to injury. Pearce explained, “Losing De Bruyne for a significant portion of the season has been detrimental to their performance.”
Pearce further elaborated, “Whoever finishes above Manchester City will ultimately win the league, as they will still secure a top-two position. However, I believe that this year, they will experience a slight dip in form after their remarkable achievements last season. It’s important to note that I’m not basing my prediction on their recent defeats; those are irrelevant to me. When De Bruyne is not on the field, it affects the supply line to Erling Haaland.”
While Pearce acknowledges Manchester City’s brilliance and expects them to challenge for the title, he believes that tougher competition lies ahead for them with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in the mix. Meanwhile, Pearce backs Newcastle United to embark on a winning streak. Pearce also expressed his reservations about Manchester United and Chelsea’s performances, suggesting that they have not demonstrated enough to be considered genuine title contenders. As for Tottenham, Pearce believes that a potential loss of key players such as Son Heung-min or James Maddison could negatively impact their chances. He also noted that the favorable fixture list has somewhat played in their favor thus far.
