At a Glance:
Arsenal lost at the Etihad on Sunday against Manchester City.
This result significantly dented Mikel Arteta’s team’s title hopes.
Chris Sutton has had his say on the Gunners’ credentials.
Arsenal suffered a damaging loss away at Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, although Chris Sutton has issued a positive outlook for Mikel Arteta’s team following this title showdown.
The Gunners were impressive in portions of the clash at the Etihad, but they ultimately emerged from Manchester with nothing to show for it. Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland cancelled out Kai Havertz’s unconventional equaliser, condemning Arteta’s outfit to their fourth consecutive domestic defeat.
The result leaves Arsenal perilously clinging on to their three-point lead at the summit of the English top flight, with the Citizens also still possessing an additional game in which they can accumulate points. Despite this doom and gloom around N5, Sutton has decided to adopt a more optimistic take about the Gunners’ title credentials.
Chris Sutton says Arsenal’s defeat at Man City can ‘galvanise’ them
Sunday’s result means that the Premier League title race is now on a knife-edge. If the two teams match each other’s results, then it’ll be decided on goal difference.
While many believe the psychological impact of the encounter at the Etihad will ultimately prove to be the catalyst that derails the Gunners’ season, others have expressed a more positive outlook. Both Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer are convinced Arsenal still have a great chance of lifting the title, and Sutton has now chimed in.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday night club, the pundit claimed that the defeat in the north-west could actually galvanise the North Londoners.
“Arsenal are really capable of winning all five games,” he said.
“I don’t think psychologically that [because of] yesterday’s game, they will be damaged. Had they gone up there and tried to play such a negative game, and Manchester City had ended up winning 2-0, you would think, ‘oh blimey’.
“But that didn’t feel like an Arsenal team who felt they were inferior. The fact that they’ve lost now, it may just galvanise the team to really strengthen. I think Odegaard coming back in and hoping he can find form is a big deal.
“We would be talking differently had Havertz buried the header at the end, which he should’ve done.”
What Opta says about Arsenal’s Premier League title chances
The mood music in the Arsenal fanbase is understandably sombre. However, many of the statistical models are still significantly more upbeat about the Gunners chances than the club’s supporters are.
According to Opta Analyst – often tipped as the holy grail for data outlets in football – Arsenal still have a 69% chance of winning the Premier League this term. This figure would’ve been 98% had they won at the Etihad.
How would the title race be affected by each possible result in Sunday's mammoth clash at the Etihad?
Here's what the Opta supercomputer thinks… pic.twitter.com/qsWdXLu5oX
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) April 16, 2026
While this percentage may be somewhat inflated, with the betting odds much more aligned to an even chance for both teams, Arsenal should still be optimistic.
Their run-in is significantly more appealing than City’s, who have to face four European chasing sides in their last six games, while Arsenal play two relegation candidates and three mid-table sides.