Chelsea's defeat to Brighton has given Arsenal a boost in the Premier League title race, with Manchester City now set to face a string of motivated opponents
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Declan Rice of Arsenal celebrates after the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Sporting Clube de Portugal at Arsenal Stadium on April 15, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Arsenal have received a slight boost from Chelsea's defeat(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images)
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Chelsea's loss to Brighton gave Arsenal plenty to cheer about on Tuesday evening. While the Gunners' supporters may have taken some satisfaction in watching their rivals stumble, it could also have handed them a timely boost in their quest for Premier League title glory.
Manchester City can draw level with Mikel Arteta's side by beating Burnley in their game in hand. That would see both clubs tied on points with five matches still to play.
Chelsea's defeat to Brighton has ensured that a number of sides still have a great deal riding on the final weeks of the campaign. Having appeared well-placed to secure Champions League football earlier in the season, the Blues now find themselves in seventh spot and by no means guaranteed even a Conference League berth.
They are sitting on 48 points, level with Brentford and Bournemouth beneath them, just one point ahead of Everton and two clear of Sunderland. This means that rather than facing a clutch of mid-table sides with little to play for, City will come up against teams who have everything to fight for.
The Citizens' next three Premier League fixtures after Burnley pit them against Everton, Brentford and Bournemouth. Brentford are unbeaten in six league matches, while the Cherries have gone 13 games without defeat since 3rd January. Several prominent voices have expressed scepticism about City's capacity to secure six victories from their remaining six fixtures. Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney reckons they could stumble against Everton.
"This title race is not over yet," he said on Match of the Day. "I still feel like there are some more twists and turns to come.
"It is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favourites.
"I've been in this situation myself, where you need to win all your games for the title. You look at your games and you think well we should win this one, or that one, but it never pans out that way.
Martin Odegaard of Arsenal (L), Declan Rice of Arsenal (C) and Eberechi Eze of Arsenal look dejected during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, United Kingdom
Arsenal hold a marginal lead over City(Image: 2026 Simon Stacpoole/Offside)
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"From now until the end of the season it is just going to be down to which team keeps their composure the best – that's who will win it."
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is also throwing his weight behind the Gunners. "I believe that Arsenal will win the league," Wenger said at an Abbey Road Studios fund-raiser for ProjectTwinning.
"I deeply believe. "It looks, to me, like common sense.
"I like Eze, Odegaard, Havertz and Madueke attacking (intent at the Etihad). Manchester City will not make the perfect run-in."
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