Premier League Title Run-in: Arsenal’s Next 10 Fixtures Compared with Man City’s, Who Will Come Out on Top
Arsenal’s next ten Premier League fixtures compared to Manchester City as the title race begins Arsenal and Manchester City are set to put everything on the line in the Premier League title race over the next two months.
The Premier League title race has begun, with Manchester City hosting rivals Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon (12.30pm). In recent years, this match has been billed as the meeting of the league’s two leading contenders. However, Arsenal, not Liverpool, is challenging City for the Premier League title this season.
Pep Guardiola’s team has won four of the last five Premier Leagues, with the exception of 2019-20, when Liverpool won it. The reigning champions, however, will face a new challenger this season in Arsenal, which is managed by Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners currently lead City by eight points, but they have played one more match. City will hope to close the gap to five points by beating Liverpool today, before Arsenal hosts Leeds at 3 p.m. at the Emirates.
spylax Media looks at who Arsenal and Manchester City will face in the final ten games of the season as the two teams prepare to put everything on the line in the pursuit of immortality – the north Londoners aiming for their first title since 2004 and City aiming to become only the second club, after Manchester United, to win three in a row…
Arsenal – 1st (69 points)
Leeds (H)
Liverpool (A)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (H)
Man City (A)
Chelsea (H)
Newcastle (A)
Brighton (H)
Nottingham Forest (A)
Wolves (H)
VERDICT: Arsenal’s run-in is far from straightforward. They face four of the top seven teams, three away from home, and five teams facing relegation. They’ll fancy their chances against Leeds, but the trip to Anfield, despite Liverpool’s poor season, is daunting.
Arsenal has not won there since 2012, and three points would be a significant statement given that both City and Manchester United have lost there this season. Wins at West Ham and Southampton are expected, but recent hard-fought victories over Bournemouth and Aston Villa show the Gunners are on the right track.
The most important game, of course, is against City on April 26 at the Etihad. A victory would be a huge psychological boost. However, the following three games – Chelsea at home, Newcastle away, and Brighton at home – will be extremely difficult.
And, while Forest have beaten Liverpool, drawn with Chelsea, and lost to Manchester City at the County Ground, they are no pushovers. Only Spurs have won by two goals or more away from Forest this season, and that was in August. Arsenal will be hoping that a tenacious Wolves team will be safe by the end of the game.
Man City – 2nd (61 points)
Liverpool (H)
Southampton (A)
Leicester (H)
Arsenal (H)
Fulham (A)
West Ham (H)
Leeds (H)
Everton (A)
Chelsea (H)
Brighton (A) DATE TBC
Brentford (A)
VERDICT: City has a game in hand on Arsenal, which comes on May 3 at home against West Ham, and another that will be rescheduled. A difficult trip to Brighton will almost certainly be confirmed as either their third-to-last or penultimate match of the season.
Even if Erling Haaland is unavailable due to injury, City will be confident of defeating Liverpool. And, despite the fact that both Southampton and Leicester are fighting for their lives, tests against them should go off without a hitch.
Following that is the massive match against Arsenal, which the Citizens must win if they are to retain their title. Following that, City will be heavy favorites to defeat Fulham, West Ham, and Leeds. Given Everton’s likely approach, a trip to Goodison Park will be difficult, but City will be confident of victory.
Chelsea’s visit will not be easy, but City has already beaten the Blues three times this season by an aggregate score of 7-0. If the postponed Brighton game is moved to the midweek before the final game, back-to-back trips to the Seagulls and Brentford pose a major threat to Guardiola’s charges, unless those teams are already on the beach.
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