Manchester City have a tough end to their season but Arsenal have four games in the next 12 days that could shape their run-in
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Mikel Arteta manager / head coach of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Things could not be closer between Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta's sides(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images)
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The start of the week has been dominated by talk of Manchester City's fixtures. Progressing to the FA Cup final meant that two Premier League games have had to be rescheduled, and their postponed match with Crystal Palace from the Carabao Cup final had not been given a date either - much to City's displeasure.
Moving them to the dates that they have ended up on has made the league harder for Pep Guardiola's side to win. Their home game with Crystal Palace before the final is not so much the issue, but having two long away trips in four days will seriously test their hopes in two competitions and Bournemouth will have extra motivation to roar their team on not just because they are aiming for Europe but because this will be Andoni Iraola's last home game before he leaves.
However, there is plenty of football to play before then and - as has been pointed out in recent days - Arsenal aren't exactly on the beach. They also have hopes of winning two competitions and that ambition has taken them to Madrid this week for the first of two games that are likely to be tougher than any of their remaining Premier League matches.
Diego Simeone's are horrible to play against, and are one of the best teams in Europe. City had first-hand experience of that in the 2021/22 season when their gruelling Champions League quarter-final took so much out of them that Guardiola effectively conceded their chances of winning the FA Cup that year by playing a weakened team in the semi-final against Liverpool days after they returned from the Spanish capital.
It did not need long in the other Champions League semi-final this week to see how draining and exhausting it can be for the best teams in Europe going up against each other. Atletico will make sure that Arsenal are not at their best for league games with Fulham and West Ham.
That may not be enough to stop them winning either domestic game, or racking up plenty of goals, but it is going to complicate Mikel Arteta's thinking. While City can play their strongest XI at Everton knowing they can do the same against Brentford five days later, Arsenal will have to be thinking about leaving something in the tank for welcoming Atletico in their second leg.
For all the talk of City's fixture difficulties at the end of the campaign and their harder run-in, Atletico have the ability to tip the title race into City's favour as Arsenal have to cope with the strain of going for the two biggest trophies at the same time.