Manchester City aren't out of the title race, warns Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned that Manchester City must not be written out of Premier League title contention.

Speaking ahead of his side's fixture against City’s neighbours Manchester United on Wednesday, Arteta also said Bukayo Saka has the potential to emulate former Old Trafford star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Arsenal host United nine points adrift of table-topping Liverpool, but two points clear of City with Pep Guardiola’s side slumping to four consecutive defeats in the league and six losses in seven in all competitions – the worst run of the Spaniard’s managerial career.

However, when asked how vulnerable City now are, Arteta – Guardiola’s former assistant – replied: "It is a team that has the capacity to turn this around and win, win, win and win. Don’t rule them out because you know how much quality and the coach that they have."

Arsenal head into Wednesday’s match at the Emirates second in the table after returning from the international break with an impressive 5-1 victory at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League sandwiched by a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest and a 5-2 triumph at West Ham.

United are 15 points off the Premier League summit, and half a dozen points behind the Gunners, but Arteta did not rule out new head coach Ruben Amorim’s side launching a surprise title bid.

"We are still very early in the season, and any team that has got the capacity to put five or six wins in a row is going to be up there," Arteta said.

"It is so tough and you see every week how the teams are struggling to maintain winning, winning and winning. I think anything is possible."

He continued: "You can see his (Amorim’s) fingerprints in what he wants to do straight away. He’s been very clear with what he wants to do.

"What he did