After rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points on Sunday, Arsenal are now firmly back in the driving seat for the league title.
Before a ball was kicked ahead of last weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures, I speculated that the next two gameweeks would have a significant bearing on our title hunt. That view was shaped not only by Arsenal’s own fixtures, but also by City’s schedule, with tough tests against Tottenham and Liverpool in the space of a week. Facing that run, City were always likely to struggle to keep pace with an Arsenal side playing before them.
Rivals stumble as Arsenal surge
Any lingering doubts about Arsenal’s title credentials should now have been eased following the weekend’s results. Not only did the Gunners deliver a confident and comfortable return to form, they also extended their lead at the top of the table.
Arsenal now sit six points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side, a gap that feels significant given the form City are currently showing. They were held to a 2-2 draw by Tottenham after being pegged back from a strong position, in what was another unconvincing display from Guardiola’s men.
Despite a winter spending spree that included Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, City look a shadow of the team that dominated English football for much of the past decade. They appear to be a side in transition, searching for solutions after years of sustained success.
Arteta & Guardiola, (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Title pressure shifts decisively
City’s upcoming trip to Anfield next week could prove decisive in shaping the title race. I struggle to see this City side ending their five game winless run on Merseyside, particularly with Arsenal likely to go nine points clear the day before.
With every passing week, the pressure intensifies on City, while Arsenal continue to set the standard. Make no mistake, this title is Arsenal’s to lose. The Gunners have been head and shoulders above the rest, showing a level of consistency no other side has matched across all competitions.
After this weekend’s results, there is a growing sense of inevitability about Arsenal lifting the title in May.
Do you agree that this weekend marked the turning point in the title race?
Benjamin Kenneth
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