Former England international David James believes Arsenal are favourites to retain the Premier League title this season, but has refused to rule out Manchester City as serious challengers, backing his former club to return to their trophy-winning ways.

Arsenal have made an impressive start to their campaign, with James particularly impressed by Mikel Arteta’s approach and the team’s defensive organisation. The former Manchester City goalkeeper highlighted their victory at Anfield against Liverpool as an example of the progress they have made.

“Arsenal are the favourites to lift the Premier League title this year after their success last season. They are displaying a serious and beautiful brand of football, and they have lost just one game so far. They even defeated Liverpool at Anfield and didn’t even give them the chance to score, which says a lot about how Mikel Arteta has built this Arsenal side,” James said.

While Arsenal have demonstrated consistency, Manchester City’s recent dip has surprised him. Pep Guardiola’s side had put together a seven-match unbeaten run before suffering consecutive defeats. However, James believes it is premature to dismiss the reigning contenders from the title conversation.

“But Manchester City have surprised me. They were on a seven-match unbeaten streak and then suddenly, they lost two games on the trot. That kind of dip is unlike them. But I feel it’s too early to rule them out as the Premier League challengers to Arsenal,” he added.

Despite recognising Arsenal’s credentials, James admitted that his allegiance remains with Manchester City, having previously represented the club.

“Still, one of these two clubs will be lifting the trophy. And because I have played for the blue side of Manchester, I’m rooting for Manchester City and I really hope that they can, with Erling Haaland, get the deal done this year and get back to the trophy-winning ways,” he said.

James also reflected on how the Premier League title race has evolved over the years, explaining that consistency and avoiding defeats have become increasingly important.

He pointed to Leicester City’s historic 2015-16 triumph with 81 points, contrasting it with the 90-plus-point campaigns delivered by Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal in recent seasons.

According to James, the modern Premier League leaves virtually no room for mistakes, with even a poor week potentially proving decisive in the title race. The emphasis, he believes, has shifted from simply winning matches to ensuring teams do not lose crucial points through defeats.