'Arsenal, Liverpool and…' Jack Grealish names fourth side who can challenge Man City for title

The latest round of Premier League football offered another opportunity for the division’s top sides to show their title credentials.

It was champions Manchester City and Arne Slot’s new-look Liverpool who came through difficult tests with three points respectively, while Arsenal crashed to a shock defeat away to Bournemouth.

Red cards are costing the Gunners at this early stage of the season and, in all three games where they’ve had a dismissal, Arsenal have gone on to drop points. In contrast, they won all five games where they’ve managed to keep 11 men on the pitch this term.

But Arsenal’s slip-up is of no concern to City, according to Jack Grealish. Despite the enmity which has built up between the sides over recent years - and came to a head in their meeting last month - the England international feels doesn’t necessarily view Arsenal as the main challenger for top spot.

“We don't think about them. If it was later in the season maybe, but it's October,” was Grealish’s assessment when asked about Mikel Arteta’s side. “We still know it's not just Arsenal, it's Liverpool, there's Chelsea. Top teams. 

“All we want to do at this moment is focus on ourselves. Coming to these away grounds and scoring in the last minute there's no better feeling,” Grealish added, after City secure a late win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It leaves City a point off early-season leaders Liverpool, who beat Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield a few hours after the chaotic scenes at Molineux. As for Arsenal, they’re four points off top spot after eight games. Interestingly, Grealish didn’t name his former side Aston Villa - who are level on points with Arsenal - as possible title challengers, while Brighton & Hove Albion are in fifth.

But for City, it was a day to celebrate as they made it 31 games unbeaten in the Premier League, setting a new club record and moving up to fourth on the all-time list. The Blues endured a frustrating afternoon against Wolves for 95 minutes as they failed to find a way past their compact defence. That was until John Stones headed in the winner from an injury-time corner.

“We always knows it's a tough place to come. Last season we lost,” said Grealish. “It was a difficult game, we seem to come up against a lot of teams who put everyone behind the ball. It is a compliment to us. That's the only way we can take it.”

As for Wolves, despite a spirited display against the champions, they remain bottom and winless after eight games. 

“Wolves are a top team by the way, I don't know how they're bottom of the league,” opined Grealish, on an afternoon when he received a few jeers from the home fans.

“From what I've seen they've been really good this season and just unlucky. They've played Chelsea, Liverpool - those games seem to be a lot more open. They put a lot behind the ball [today]. We just have to use it as a compliment.”