Why Manchester City can always bank on Arsenal's nerves in PL title race?

It seems that Arsenal and Mikel Arteta's muscle memory has started to kick in yet again, with the Gunners starting to lose faith in their pursuit of a long-awaited Premier League title to bring back to the Emirates Stadium.  With the stadium not experiencing a title-winning campaign in its 20 years of existence, the London club is yet again on the verge of bottling their once-healthy lead, which could potentially be reduced to just 2 points after the weekend.

 

Manchester City have been presented a golden chance by title counterparts Arsenal once again, as they dropped points yet again against bottom-placed Wolves with a 2-2 draw at the Molineux Stadium, decreasing the gap to just 5 points, with the Cityzens having a game in hand that could potentially cut the gap to just 2 points.

 

 

Coming just days after a 1-1 stalemate at Brentford, the dropped points prevented Arsenal from stretching their lead over Manchester City to seven points. Instead, the gap now stands at five, with City holding a game in hand.

 

Having led the table since September, Arsenal’s momentum appears to have stalled at a critical juncture. They have managed just two victories in their last seven league matches, leaving little room for further slip-ups.

 

Title race tightens as City lurk

 

The equation is straightforward. If Manchester City win their remaining 12 matches, including their home clash against Arsenal in April, they will reclaim the title. Arsenal can still control their destiny by winning their final 11 fixtures, but recent performances suggest that consistency remains an issue.

 

History offers little comfort for the Gunners. In each of the past four seasons, City have outperformed Arsenal during the run-in, particularly in the final stretch of matches.

 

In the last five seasons, the story has more or less been the same, with City and Arsenal fighting for the title and Liverpool emerging as a competitor on some occasions. However, despite competing for the title over the years, it is only Arsenal that have failed to get their hands on the trophy, with Liverpool winning 2 of the last 5 titles and Manchester City taking the other three. 

 

Arsenal's tough set of fixtures that will make or break the season

 

Arsenal's next seven fixtures include London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea, a tricky fixture in Bournemouth, followed by a title-deciding clash against City at the Etihad Stadium, and then taking on Newcastle at home. This spell of fixtures can make or break the season for the Gunners. 

Arsenal next 7 Premier League fixtures
Date	Home Team	Time (IST)	Away Team
22/02/26	Tottenham Hotspur	22:00:00	Arsenal
01/03/26	Arsenal	22:00:00	Chelsea
04/03/26	Brighton and Hove Albion	1:00 (5th March)	Arsenal
15/03/26	Arsenal	19:30:00	Everton
11/04/26	Arsenal	TBD	Bournemouth
18/04/26	Manchester City	TBD	Arsenal
25/04/26	Arsenal	TBD	Newcastle United

 

The impact of these matches is such that Manchester City could be seen leading once again as soon as mid-April. Arsenal will surely be feeling the heat, with City breathing down their necks and a squad that has depth courtesy of new signings like Semenyo, adding to the firepower.

 

Arsenal faltering at the business end of the season

 

2021-22: Youthful squad falls short 

During the 2021-22 campaign, Arsenal boasted the league’s youngest squad, averaging just over 24 years of age. However, they were never true contenders for the crown and instead battled for European qualification.

 

Manchester City collected 30 points from their final 12 matches, while Arsenal secured only 18 during the same period, finishing fifth and settling for Europa League football.

 

2022-23: A familiar collapse 

Three seasons ago, Arsenal found themselves five points clear at the top with 27 games played. However, a heavy defeat at the Etihad Stadium shifted momentum decisively in City’s favour.

 

City closed the season with 31 points from their final 12 fixtures, compared to Arsenal’s 21, clinching the title and eventually completing a historic treble.

 

2023-24: Narrow margins decide the outcome 

In one of the most tightly contested seasons in recent memory, Arsenal, City, and Liverpool were separated by razor-thin margins. Arsenal briefly topped the table in May but were unable to hold off Guardiola’s relentless side.

 

City edged them by a single point in the final stretch to claim a fourth consecutive title.

 

2024-25: Another late dip 

Last season saw Arsenal locked in a direct battle with Liverpool, as City struggled for consistency. Yet, a late run of disappointing results, including a costly home defeat to Bournemouth, saw Liverpool surge ahead.

 

Despite their own inconsistencies earlier in the season, City still accumulated more points than Arsenal in the final 12 matches, finishing third but once again demonstrating superior closing strength.

 

While the current campaign is far from over, the pattern is concerning. Since 2021-22, Arsenal have consistently been outperformed by Manchester City during the business end of the season.

 

Pressure mounting on Mikel Arteta

 

Despite the level of performances being high for Mikel Arteta and his men, the clock is ticking louder than ever for the Spaniard, who hasn't got silverware to show for his team's improvement over the last 5 years. A single FA Cup title in his first season in charge is just not enough for a club of Arsenal's stature, and this year might be make-or-break for the former Arsenal midfielder as well.

 

For now, Arsenal are top of the PL and UCL tables and will be competing for the season's first silverware in the EFL Cup final in March against Pep's Manchester City. However, for Arteta, the biggest challenge will be winning the major trophies this year, with the board having put their faith in him for an ample amount of time now.

 

Top 4 race also heating up

 

The 1st and 5th sides in the league are currently separated by 14 points, and with Arsenal losing more ground, it is possible that the top 5 race could also get spicier than it already is. Teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Aston Villa are also in a tight battle for the Champions League spots and could face a tough task in order to secure UCL football next season.

 

With just 6 points separating 3rd-placed Aston Villa and 5th-placed Chelsea, the last 10 matches will be crucial for each team, with every place being contested at a high intensity.