Arsenal's next five games compared to title rivals Man City as lead extended
A look at how the upcoming games compare for title hopefuls Arsenal and Man City.
Arsenal scraped a narrow win over Brighton on Wednesday night, ensuring the title returned to exclusively their own hands. Manchester City previously had their own fate in their own hands, too, but their draw with Forest on Wednesday night meant they slipped seven points behind with a game in hand.
Arsenal and City do still need to meet, so City will need at least one slip-up from their title rivals before now and the end of the season as things stand. Attention now turns to the FA Cup, but before it does, let’s take a look at Arsenal and City’s next five league games to see who might have the advantage over the coming weeks.
Arsenal’s next five
Everton (H), AFC Bournemouth (H), Man City (A), Newcastle United (H), Fulham (H).
While both Everton and Bournemouth will both be tricky customers, Arsenal have to be confident of taking care of business at home. That’s what title winners do.
Then comes that all-important City game that will surely define how the rest of this title race goes. If Arsenal avoid defeat in that one, they will have full control of the title going into the final chunk of games. That final chunk starts with a tricky home clash with Newcastle, but the Magpies haven’t been great over recent weeks and months.
Fulham are another team who fit into that category of being potentially tricky but certainly beatable at home. With four of the next five at home, Arsenal have to be looking at these fixtures feeling pretty confident.
Man City’s next five
West Ham (A), Crystal Palace (H - Date TBC), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Everton (A).
Firstly, six games have been included here because there is a possibility that the Crystal Palace game, which still hasn’t got a date, doesn’t feature in the next five games.
In any case, City have a trap fixture next up, facing relegation-threatened West Ham, but it’s a Hammers side that has been in good form and are fighting for their lives. That won’t be an easy game.
Palace home looks to be a gimme at this stage, whenever that game is played, but back-to-back games with Chelsea and Arsenal are going to be the big tests of this run. City will fancy their chances against Burnley and Everton. The Toffees can be tricky customers, but their home form has not been great. Those games against Arsenal and Chelsea could well define City’s title bid.