Ferdinand Backs Arsenal to Shock PSG and Complete Historic Double

Rio Ferdinand has thrown his weight behind Arsenal to spring a surprise in the Champions League final against reigning holders Paris Saint-Germain, believing Mikel Arteta's men can secure an unlikely domestic and continental double.

The Gunners currently sit five points clear atop the Premier League with two fixtures remaining, though Manchester City hold a game in hand. Should they hold firm, Arsenal will face PSG in the final later this month chasing their first league title in over two decades.

On paper, the odds appear stacked against the north Londoners. Yet Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, reckons Arsenal have the tools to pull off an upset.

"I said Arsenal would win the league this year and I think Arsenal will win the league," he began. "And I now think that Arsenal are going to win the Champions League, guys."

Ferdinand was at pains to acknowledge PSG's superiority in conventional terms. "PSG are the better team, 100 per cent. Right now, they've got the team, they're the better footballing team, better style of play, they're the best team on the planet to watch and their manager is the best right now at this point," he conceded.

But there's a chink in the armour, according to the former Manchester United defender: set-pieces.

"They look uncomfortable at set-pieces. Even Bayern Munich, who aren't great at set-pieces, they made them look uncomfortable and I've seen it many times this season," Ferdinand observed.

Here's where Arsenal's bread and butter comes into play. The Londoners have built their season on exploiting dead-ball situations, with their prowess from corners and free-kicks a defining feature of their campaign.

"Arsenal play a lot of football and a lot of it is driven to set-pieces. And I think Arsenal fans would agree with that," Ferdinand said. "They're the best team in the Premier League at set-pieces and if they get set-pieces and free-kicks and corners, they are going to cause absolute carnage against that small PSG team."

The physical mismatch at set-plays could prove decisive. "Physically, at set-pieces, PSG can not compete with Arsenal and if Arsenal get any type of possession and any type of free-kicks around the box, or even the halfway line, they're going to cause damage," Ferdinand insisted.

When pressed on whether stricter Champions League refereeing might limit Arsenal's opportunities, Ferdinand dismissed the concern. "Yeah, but Bayern didn't have to be aggressive. You just have to make good runs and they've got athletic, big players, Arsenal, who know how to get on the end of things," he replied.

The psychological edge could also favour the underdog. "I just think they're going to cause problems and I think in the stadium you'll feel an air and an energy of uncertainty from PSG. PSG are absolutely certain and confident in every facet of their game bar set-pieces. And that's where Arsenal are strong," Ferdinand reasoned.

He concluded by emphasising that while PSG may possess the superior footballing blueprint, the final is about more than aesthetics.

"It leads me to believe that there is hope for Arsenal. Like I said, I'll reiterate, as a football team and the way they play, there's not a comparison for me right now, at this moment in time. But there's more to football than just style of play and set-pieces have to be considered hugely and I think Arsenal are a massive threat to this PSG team."