Man City’s next five fixtures compared to Arsenal after latest title race twist


Manchester City and Arsenal are locked in a Premier League title race battle and both teams face some important fixtures across the next couple of weeks

Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes were dealt a huge blow on Sunday, as Arsenal restored their five-point lead by beating Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby.

City had reduced the gap with a 2-1 win against Newcastle United on Saturday and that put the pressure back on the Gunners to respond as they made the short trip to arch rivals Spurs.

But, despite a mini-scare in the first-half, Mikel Arteta’s side responded in brutal fashion. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring for the Gunners 31 minutes into the outing, before Randal Kolo Muani issued an instant response to level matters.

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Viktor Gyokeres then gave Arsenal the lead once more as the second-half resumed, with Kolo Muani once again finding the back of David Raya’s net. However, the Frenchman’s second strike was ultimately ruled out due to a foul on Gabriel in the build-up.

Eze bagged his second of the afternoon 61 minutes into the match, before Gyokeres secured a brace of his own in the game’s final stages. As a result of the 4-1 win, Arsenal now sit five points clear of City in the Premier League standings, albeit, Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues have a game in hand on the Gunners to help close the gap once more.

With that in mind, here are Arsenal’s next five fixtures compared to Manchester City’s…

Arsenal (1st – 61 points)

Chelsea (H) – Sunday, March 1 (4:30pm) – Premier League

Brighton (A) – Wednesday, March 4 (7:30pm) – Premier League

Mansfield Town (A) – Saturday, March 7 (12:15pm) – FA Cup

Everton (H) – Sunday, March 15 (2pm) – Premier League

Manchester City – Sunday, March 22 (4:30pm) – Carabao Cup

Manchester City (2nd – 56 points)

Leeds United (A) – Saturday, February 28 (5:30pm) – Premier League

Nottingham Forest (H) – Wednesday, March 4 (7:30pm) – Premier League

Newcastle United (A) – Saturday, March 7 (8pm) – FA Cup

West Ham (A) – Saturday, March 14 (12:30pm) – Premier League

Arsenal (A) – Sunday, March 22 (4:30pm) – Carabao Cup

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Gary Neville makes Viktor Gyokeres claim after Arsenal thrash Tottenham


Gary Neville makes Viktor Gyokeres claim after Arsenal thrash Tottenham
Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres after scoring against Tottenham (Picture: Getty)

Gary Neville was full of praise for Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres as the Gunners got their Premier League title charge back on track with a north London win over Tottenham.

The league leaders dominated their arch-rivals in the opening 45 minutes and took the lead through Eberechi Eze, who was close to joining Spurs last summer.

Eze, who scored a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture at the Emirates Stadium, had agreed a move to Tottenham before Arsenal hijacked the deal and poached him from Crystal Palace.

Arsenal were well worth their 32nd-minute opener but the hosts responded immediately and equalised less than two minutes later through Randal Kolo Muani.

Kolo Muani dispossessed an unusually casual Declan Rice and managed to get a shot away that beat Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

Rice was seen urging his teammates to switch on after Eze’s goal but was soon apologising for his part in Tottenham’s leveller.

Fortunately for Rice and Arsenal the blunder did not prove costly as the Gunners reasserted their dominance after the break and retook the lead through Gyokeres’ emphatic strike.

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Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal - Premier League
Eberechi Eze scored twice as Arsenal beat Spurs (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal were pegged back by Brentford and Wolves in their last two league games but there was to be no repeat here, with Eze scoring his second of the afternoon to all but put the game to bed.

Gyokeres scored again in injury-time to cap off an impressive performance from both the striker and Arsenal, who maintain their dominance over north London rivals Tottenham.

Gyokeres endured an underwhelming start to his Arsenal career but the £64m summer signing now has seven goals since the turn of the New Year.

Neville was hugely impressed by Gyokeres’ performance against Spurs and said it was his ‘best’ display in an Arsenal shirt for a while.

Former Man Utd and England defender Gary Neville (Picture: NBC Sports)

‘He looks really lively and smart, Gyokeres,’ Neville said after the Sweden international restored Arsenal’s lead at Tottenham.

‘It’s the best I’ve seen him for a while. It’s a great moment for him. He’s still got a lot to do when it comes to him – and he hasn’t always been smooth – but it’s a wonderful finish.

‘Gyokeres has had one of his best games for Arsenal, he’s been a real nuisance. It’s the best I’ve seen him in a big game.

‘He’s never going to be the prettiest striker but he deserves that award. He’s looked sharper today as well, it’s the most involved he’s been in a Premier League game.’

Former Manchester United and England defender Neville was less impressed by Rice’s ‘stupid’ mistake for Tottenham’s equaliser.

‘You cannot believe that,’ he said on Sky Sports. ‘Declan Rice has just joined his backline in making an error, this time it’s a really poor one.

‘Rice tries to dribble past Kolo Muani, who still has a lot to do. Saliba has got to be more aggressive than that, hasn’t he? It’s a nothing challenge and his mate, Gabriel, can’t get across.

‘We’ve seen a few of those stupid little errors from Arsenal’s senior players. Tottenham have had nothing in this game, Arsenal were so comfortable but there’s been a few lapses of concentration and its contagious and it has to stop otherwise they’ll be in trouble.

‘Rice was telling everyone to concentrate after Arsenal’s goal but then it’s so loose from him. I think Saliba could do better but Rice holds his hands up because he knows it was his mistake.’

Arsenal’s north London derby win means Mikel Arteta’s side restore their five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City with 11 games remaining.

Tottenham, meanwhile, stay 16th but are now just four points above the relegation zone.

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Carrick needs to drop a Man United game-changer vs Everton


Michael Carrick hasn’t looked to make changes to his Man United starting XI since returning as interim head coach but the draw at West Ham could mean tweaks are made at Everton.

It hasn’t been the easiest start to life at Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko. And the Slovenian probably couldn’t believe his luck when his recent rich vein of form coincided with United’s best string of results this season, meaning Michael Carrick had little reason to change a winning team.

Of course, some of Sesko’s goals have contributed to United’s purple patch; his late strike against Fulham ensured United bagged three points that should never have been in jeopardy, and a touch of magic from the striker at the London Stadium meant Carrick’s unbeaten start to life back at the club remained intact.

But both of the aforementioned goals came as a substitute. Being able to have an impact off the bench is a brilliant trait for any attacking player to possess, but £66.4million is an awful lot to pay for a super sub.

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Carrick’s penchant for waiting until around the 70-minute mark to make a substitute was often questioned during his time at Middlesbrough, and it came further under the spotlight after the draw with West Ham. United were crying out for a focal point to their attack, and when it finally arrived Sesko produced the goods. Had he been introduced sooner, Carrick might still be able to boast a 100 per cent record.

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A haul of five goals in six games means the argument for Sesko to start at Everton is an easy one to make. Throw in the lacklustre display at the London Stadium and Sesko’s upgrade from substitute to starter barely even warrants debate.

The problem is, who drops out?

Bruno Fernandes has been the best player in the Premier League this season and the United captain is the first name on the team sheet. Bryan Mbeumo has enjoyed a seamless transition to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, notching nine top-flight goals to lead the United scoring charts, and he also has to start.

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That leaves Amad and Matheus Cunha. Both can be – and have been – United matchwinners. Cunha has struggled at times this season after a positive start, but he’s as close to a maverick as modern-day football dares to entertain, and he can produce something out of nothing even when on the fringes of a game.

Since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Amad hasn’t quite produced the livewire performances we’ve come to expect from the Ivory Coast star. He has failed to record a goal or an assist since returning from AFCON, and perhaps it is time to take him out of the spotlight.

It’s easy to forget Amad is still just 23, given he was so often United’s only attacking hope alongside Fernandes during Ruben Amorim’s first season at Old Trafford. There are bound to be peaks and troughs as he develops.

Carrick has been lauded for his man-management skills since his return to United, and his handling of Amad could be key. Amad spoke in glowing terms when asked about the interim head coach recently, saying: “Having Carrick is very enjoyable and we enjoy the training. He’s a nice guy. He talks with everyone and I’m so lucky because I know him already – he was here when I arrived, when I was 18.”

That personal touch will go a long way if Amad is handed an initial watching brief at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

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Newcastle star gives unexpected verdict on controversy vs City – ‘I do the same’


Manchester City beat Newcastle United 2-1 on Saturday night but Dan Burn had a goal controversially chalked off for offside.

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has admitted he would have done what Ruben Dias did to him during Manchester City’s victory. The Blues were leading 2-1 thanks to a Nico O’Reilly brace when Burn looked to have equalised. However, replays showed the defender was in an offside position when he scored.

The replays also showed Dias pushing the centre-back into the offside position. This caused controversy and when asked about the incident in his post-match press conference, Eddie Howe said: “I don’t know about that rule. I haven’t seen the push, so if that is the case, then I’ll seek clarification.”

Howe also admitted he felt decisions did not go his side’s way during the match but would not blame officials for the defeat. When asked about the controversy himself, Burn was honest about what he would do if roles were reversed. “I felt sort of pushed on the back and I think maybe if I’m a little bit better with it I could probably make more of a meal of it, but I’m not great at doing that,” he said.

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“So yeah, I’ve not seen it back, but as I said, someone said that I was pushed and it’s quite hard to get back onside once you’ve been sort of pushed offside.” He later told ViaPlay: “Yes, he did [push me]. But as a defender, I do the same thing.” City’s victory meant they moved two points behind Arsenal in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side could reopen a five-point gap if they beat Tottenham on Sunday. However, they will have played a game more than City.

When asked about the run-in, Pep Guardiola said: “That game today is what we are going to face in the next 11. Every game will be like that: a battle.

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“Now we have three days off. I say to them: ‘What you have to do is take a lot of caipirinhas and daiquiris in these next three days, enjoy life’, and then we make proper sessions and go to Leeds.

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“That is the proper way. If we say: ‘We win this, then Arsenal do this or Aston Villa’… [you get a] slap in the face and what you thought [would happen], the opposite happens. I know how difficult it will be. Just win the next game, keep going, never give up.

“[11] games is a lot in the Premier League. Many things are going to happen.”

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Pep Guardiola makes Man City Premier League title prediction with Arsenal point


Manchester City claimed a 2-1 win over Newcastle United with Pep Guardiola issuing a Premier League title message to Arsenal

Pep Guardiola has delivered a clear title race message to both the Manchester City players and Arsenal after the win over Newcastle United. City claimed a 2-1 win over the Magpies to close the gap with the Gunners at the top of the Premier League table.

City are now just two points behind Arsenal, having played the same number of matches, with the Gunners facing Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal drew with Wolves in midweek, and City will have their game in hand once again once this weekend’s round of matches have been completed.

City’s win over Newcastle came thanks to a first-half brace from Nico O’Reilly, with Lewis Hall on the score sheet for the visitors at the Etihad Stadium.

READ MORE: ‘We need that’ – Pep Guardiola has message for Man City fans after NewcastleREAD MORE: Man City next five fixtures compared to Arsenal in title race after Newcastle United win

With the title race intensifying and just 11 more fixtures still to be played, Guardiola offered a prediction for the rest of the campaign for both City and Arsenal.

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Guardiola also sent a message to the City players ahead of their next Premier League match, which sees them travel to face Leeds United next weekend

“Many things are going to happen,” Guardiola told reporters. “I have a feeling that we are not going to win all our games. Arsenal, I don’t know.

“But I have this feeling, because FA Cup, Champions League games, then comes trouble. Many, many games. Injuries will come.

“The best way is to relax now and focus on Leeds, then we’ll see. It will depend on our level, it needs to be better, better, better.”

“We have a lot of new players, that’s why they have to live it,” Guardiola added. “I’ve said, forget about it. We have to improve, it’s not enough.

“To compete to win the Premier League you have to be there. We proved ourselves to win the three points but we have to do better to have the chance to do it.

“I say to the guys, ‘Take a lot of caipirinhas and daiquiris in these three days, enjoy life’. And after that, make a proper three training sessions and go to Leeds. That is a proper way.

“I know how difficult it will be. If it doesn’t go well, we keep going, never give up. Ten or 11 games is a lot in the Premier League.”

Despite winning five Premier League trophies in the past, Guardiola pointed to the inexperience in the City squad in a title race and praised the home fans in the win over Newcastle.

“70% of the players never played in that situation and I don’t play. We have to believe it,” Guardiola told TNT Sports.

“They know, we know, that until the end of the season every game will be like this.

“Today we had the best crowd of the year. It was unbelievable. I am really proud to be manager of these incredible fans.”

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Scott McTominay’s surprise weekly wage, Man Utd clause and contract ‘priority’


Scott McTominay’s stock has been on a drastic rise since departing Manchester United in 2024, with a pay bump to relfect his Napoli status on the horizon

Scott McTominay isn’t on the wage many would expect at Napoli, but this could change drastically in the near future.

The former Manchester United midfielder departed Old Trafford in 2024 for pastures new in Italy. He signed a four-year deal with Napoli in a £25.7million move and became an instant hero at the club.

He won the Serie A title at his first attempt, scoring 13 goals and assisting six times, which earned him the league’s player of the year (MVP) award. McTominay is already on 14 goal contributions this season and this form has prompted Napoli to discuss a new deal.

Currently, the 29-year-old is on around £90,000 per week, a surprisingly low amount given his contributions to the club, albeit reflective of his status when he joined. This wage is set to significantly increase if he renegotiates a deal with the Italians, which is reportedly already in the works.

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It has been claimed that McTominay’s agent, Colin Murdock, has met with Napoli’s hierarchy to discuss an extension to the Scot’s contract. It is understood that a deal through to 2030, with an option for a further year, is expected.

McTominay’s deal currently runs until 2028, and there had been rumours that other European clubs had been sniffing around the midfielder. Transfer journalist Nicolo Schira said Premier League and Saudi sides had sent bids to the Scot, but his main priority would be to stay in Naples.

This contract extension would put to rest any speculation that McTominay would return to his boyhood club, United, in the near future. However, the Red Devils would still benefit if the 29-year-old does decide to move on from Napoli and join another team.

As part of the deal to sell him, United made sure to include a 10% sell-on clause. Transfermarkt value him around at least £40m, although prying him away from Naples would likely require more than that this summer.

United would therefore pocket at least £4m from his sale. Fans would likely appreciate the impressive player back in their ranks rather than a cash boost.

However, it appears clear that McTominay’s priority is staying in Italy and United’s is to move on from the past, with the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo now carrying the attacking burden.

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Harry Maguire claim rubbished as Man United transfer disagreement emerges


Harry Maguire has found himself at the centre of a Manchester United transfer disagreement

Sam Allardyce has rubbished Paul Scholes’ claim that Manchester United should sign Cristian Romero, having been asked if he’d take the Tottenham captain over Harry Maguire.

Scholes recently heaped praise on Romero, 27, following United’s 2-0 win over Spurs. Despite the Argentine centre-back being sent off for a reckless challenge that eventually saw his team lose, United legend Scholes remains a huge fan of the player.

He said on The Good, The Bad & The Football: “I love watching him. I think his head’s checked out at Spurs. I’d love him at United. I just love the character of him.”

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Whether United will in fact look to sign Romero in the summer remains to be seen, though any potential transfer may be dependent on whether former captain Maguire is kept on at Old Trafford. The central defender, 32, is set to become a free agent this summer unless he is handed a new contract in the coming months.

But former Premier League manager Allardyce thinks it would be the wrong decision to part ways with the Englishman in favour of bringing in Romero. When asked on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast what he made of Scholes’ comments and if he’d take Romero over Maguire, Allardyce was very clear that he valued Maguire’s defensive abilities more.

He slammed the Tottenham man by labelling him as “irrational”, claiming he has “so many flaws” and accusing Romero of still making the same rash mistakes he made when he was first signed.

Allardyce said: “Too risky [for United to sign him]. Too risky. Honestly, too risky. He doesn’t… Listen, if you’re a centre-half, your first priority, in respect to what Paul says, and I respect his opinion, is being a defender.

“‘How good are you at defending?’ Not, ‘How good are you at playing with the ball?’ That’s only an added bonus. People are looking for that more than looking at how good they are as defenders, which is a big problem at academy level.

“Because you’ve got all these 30 little coaches going around saying, ‘Can he play out from the back?’ Can he defend?! Like full-backs. That’s what their job is.”

Allardyce insisted Romero represents the type of defenders that are now emerging in modern football compared to his own time as a manager.

Romero was sent off against United earlier this month as Spurs suffered a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford. The Argentine’s straight red card for his high and late challenge on Casemiro means he has now been dismissed more than any other player in the Premier League since he joined Spurs in 2021.

He is under contract at Tottenham until 2029 after signing a contract extension last summer. Romero’s defensive partner for Argentina, Lisandro Martinez, is currently one of United’s first-choice centre-backs. Martinez regularly plays alongside Maguire, who has made 15 appearances across all competitions this season.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments about Man United ace prove true as he’s singled out


Cristiano Ronaldo’s past comments praising a former Manchester United team-mate have been backed up by a current star of the squad

Benjamin Sesko is hard at work attempting to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps by lifting Manchester United to greatness. And it seems the two are somewhat kindred spirits after each taking a liking to the same personalities at Old Trafford.

More specifically, Sesko has taken after Ronaldo by developing a close bond with United defender Diogo Dalot. Aside from both being from Portugal, Ronaldo spoke highly of his countryman’s characteristics when discussing players he admired.

It was towards the tail end of Ronaldo’s second stint at Old Trafford that he infamously appeared on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show. And when pressed on which team-mates or opponents he held respect for, Dalot came out atop the list regarding United comrades.

“In Manchester United I can mention Dalot,” said the five-time Ballon d’Or-winner. “He’s young, but very professional [and] I don’t doubt that he’s going to have longevity in football because he’s young, he’s smart, intelligent and he’s very professional. Probably [Lisandro] Martinez, Casemiro is in his 30s, but I will say Dalot.”

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Fast-forward to the present day, and Dalot has displayed other appealing traits after helping Sesko settle in. The 22-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from RB Leipzig last summer in a deal potentially worth £74million, but Dalot played his role in making the switch a simple one.

When asked about which players at United he has bonded with in particular, the Slovenian told the Inside Carrington podcast: “Diogo Dalot. From the start, he was really helping me.

“Trying to help me in all the ways because it’s a different world here. I’m really grateful that he stood up, and he saw his younger self in me. We are still pushing each other every day, doing all the work.”

United fans may have Dalot to thank for Sesko’s uptick in form of late as the striker has helped raise standards on the field. The frontman has scored five goals in his last six appearances and has been crucial to Michael Carrick’s success as interim manager.

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Sesko scored both of United’s goals in a 2-2 draw away at Burnley last month, albeit not the result he and his team-mates wanted. He’s since come off the bench to score the winner in the 3-2 victory over Fulham, as well as bagging the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at West Ham last week.

Dalot, 26, also continues to play a prominent role in Carrick’s plans despite some fans raising concerns about his contributions in the past. The full-back has scored once and recorded three assists in 26 outings across all competitions this term.

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The Porto academy graduate, who joined United in 2018, was of rare value in Ruben Amorim’s former strategy given he’s able to play in either wing-back position. That role is no longer in use under Carrick, but the club legend has nonetheless found use for a player both Sesko and Ronaldo clearly revere.

Dalot appears to have cemented his place as first-choice right-back under Carrick, while Sesko has largely had to settle for minutes off the bench. It’s a set-up that’s worked for the most part to date, though the latter will hope to share more minutes with his close companion in the months to come.


Michael Carrick could do what Ruben Amorim couldn’t at Man United


Manchester United travel to Everton on Monday night looking to avoid the Toffees doing the double over them after November’s awful defeat at Old Trafford.

“We are trying to be our best,” was the message from Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick ahead of Monday’s trip to Everton. “We have things to improve on but we have a good base and foundation moving forward, a good spirit and we will draw on pretty much all of that on Monday night.”

Carrick’s return to Old Trafford has been overwhelmingly positive so far. The victories over Manchester City and Arsenal were unexpected, against Fulham his team showed the grit and determination needed to grind out a result and the win over Tottenham was another step in the right direction.

The draw last time out against West Ham was a bump in the road. United were not at their best and were frustrated by a side happy to sit back and hit them on the counter. If not for the heroics of Benjamin Sesko, the unbeaten run would have been over.

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But while the draw at the London Stadium was disappointing compared to the previous four games, it was nowhere near as bad as the loss to Everton back in November. It is understood the defeat to the ten-man Toffees was a contributing factor in the decision to sack Ruben Amorim in January.

David Moyes’ team did not need to do much to win that night. Once down to ten men, they were rigid, compact and pushed the onus onto United. Good teams would have seen that as a gift but United’s response was abject. They were slow in possession, wasteful with their build-up play and were punished for it.

Moyes received credit for the victory but United were the ones who presented it to him. As they head to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time, Carrick knows this game will be a huge test of his credentials.

There is confidence the interim head coach can do what his predecessor couldn’t. United have shown, albeit against more attacking opponents, they can stretch defences.

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The way they went from defence to attack against City was sensational. And while United are likely to have more of the ball against Everton, Carrick must show this team can keep that positivity in their play.

A key failing against Everton at Old Trafford was United’s slow use of the ball. They became too predictable and played into Moyes’ hands.

Since returning to United, Carrick has spoken a lot about knowing what it means to play for this club. That has been evidenced in most of the performances.

But this is another test in the interview process for the permanent role at Old Trafford. Carrick has a golden opportunity to show Ineos he can lead this team to good results with positive play against defensive set-ups. Moyes’ pre-match message will be simple: same again.

He will set Everton to play on the counter and catch United. If they keep 11 men on the pitch, they will show more attacking intent.

From Carrick’s perspective, he will hope his team have learnt their lesson from that November defeat. If they have, he will be another step closer to proving he is a viable option for the permanent job.

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Seven Premier League matches that could decide Man City vs Arsenal title race


Manchester City were handed a major boost in midweek after Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead to draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester City’s bid to reclaim their Premier League title was boosted on Wednesday night thanks to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arsenal were 2-0 up but a late fightback from Rob Edwards’ side rescued a point and gave City renewed confidence.

If City beat Newcastle United on Saturday evening, they will move to within two points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. With Mikel Arteta’s side looking over their shoulders, it’s all to play for in the Premier League run-in.

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MEN Sport has picked out seven matches for City and Arsenal that could settle the title race.

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Man City vs Newcastle United – February 21

If City can find a win on Saturday, the title race will swing in their favour.

Newcastle have found the Etihad Stadium a tough place to visit and they won’t be looking forward to this game after a long trip to Qarabag on Wednesday. Should City win, they will crank the pressure up on Arsenal even more.

Tottenham vs Arsenal – February 22

After the setback at Wolves, the north London derby could be season-defining for Arsenal. Assuming City beat Newcastle, the pressure will be on the Gunners to restore their five-point advantage.

Spurs will be confident of upsetting their fierce rivals with new interim head coach Igor Tudor in the dugout for the first time. The mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be positive compared to under Thomas Frank and if Arsenal are still suffering a hangover from Wednesday night, they could be tripped up.

Arsenal vs Chelsea – March 1

A double whammy for Arsenal as they follow up the north London derby with a visit from Chelsea. Their head coach Liam Rosenior earned no praise for his approach on their last visit to the Emirates Stadium.

But Chelsea’s ‘negative’ style saw Arsenal struggle to break them down. Only when Chelsea opened up did the Gunners score.

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There is every chance Rosenior looks to copy that tactic when they meet again in the Premier League. City will be hoping Chelsea’s defensive approach will frustrate Arsenal enough for them to drop points.

Chelsea vs Man City – April 11 (Date TBC)

City have not lost at Stamford Bridge since April 2021 but while their recent form against Chelsea is good, they will be wary. In the reverse fixture, Chelsea nicked a point at the death to frustrate the Blues.

At home, Chelsea will be expected to be more offensive – this should play into City’s hands. There has been audible frustration from the fans when Chelsea have struggled under Rosenior.

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 04: Erling Haaland of Manchester City gestures during the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg match between Manchester City and Newcastle United at Etihad Stadium on February 04, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

The Blues will hope they can utilise this, turn the home fans against their team early and make it tricky for Chelsea.

Man City vs Arsenal – April 18 (Date TBC)

No surprise to see this one on the list. This game will give a huge indication as to which way the title is heading.

As things stand, the onus will be on City to take the game to Arsenal and that will be to Arteta’s benefit. However, if the gap is two points or the Blues are leading the way by the time they meet, the game has a different complexion.

Pep Guardiola will be confident his team can pick up the win if they are in striking distance of Arsenal. It should be a day when the Etihad Stadium is at its best.

Man City vs Aston Villa and Crystal Palace vs Arsenal – May 24

With the way the season is going, the title race could go down to the final day. City hold good memories of beating Villa on the final day to win a league title and it is that experience Guardiola will be leaning on if they need it.

Villa will be a tougher opponent considering their league position. But there is a good chance their season will be over should Champions League qualification already be secured.

As for Arsenal, the trip to Palace is not straightforward but they do have a good record there. It will be Oliver Glasner’s last game as manager at Selhurst Park, meaning the hosts will be up for it.

But whoever is top heading into the final day will be expected to complete the job.

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