Arsenal relinquished their top position in the Premier League after Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.
The Gunners have suffered back-to-back losses to Bournemouth and Man City in the top-flight.
The club lacked good fortune during their recent 2-1 loss to the Cityzens on the road. They twice hit the woodwork, while Kai Havertz missed two glorious chances in the second half too.
The defeat handed Man City the opportunity to climb to the top of the table with a win at Burnley. Pep Guardiola’s side also had the chance to bolster their goal difference to dent Arsenal’s title charge.
Man City did secure maximum points from their trip to Lancashire, but the scoreline will no doubt have pleased Arsenal fans. Burnley were on the cusp of relegation before the game, and there was an expectancy that the Cityzens could run riot and secure a commanding 4-0 or 5-0 win at Turf Moor.
Erling Haaland grabbed an early fifth-minute goal, but that turned out to be the match-winner. The Cityzens had a staggering 28 shots with nine on target. They also hit the woodwork twice. However, the Clarets showed strong defensive resolve despite relegation eventually being confirmed.
The result means Man City have jumped to the top of the table ahead of Arsenal on only goals scored (66 to 63). The goal difference stays the same with five games left in the campaign. Things could have been much worse. A commanding win could have seen Man City take a sizeable lead in goal difference. Hence, the Gunners have been handed a timely boost.
Arsenal have to face Newcastle United, Fulham and Burnley at home in the run-in. They also have away trips to West Ham United and Crystal Palace. All of those clubs are in the bottom half of the standings, and the onus is on the Gunners to win their remaining matches with big margin scorelines, starting with the Magpies on Saturday.
On paper, Mikel Arteta’s side have a better set of fixtures. Man City have tricky away trips to Everton and Bournemouth, who are jostling for European places. They also host Brentford, Crystal Palace and fourth-placed Aston Villa on the final day. Four of those teams are in the top half.
Man City could still extend their winning run for the remaining five games, which has happened in the recent past. The Gunners must now show their title credentials by going on a five-match winning streak with commanding victories.