As I said on Match of the Day, this title race is far from over and Arsenal’s players just have to keep together now. They are still top and the worst-case scenario when City go to Burnley on Wednesday is that they go above Arsenal on goal difference. That is still a wonderful position for Arsenal to be in. They could go out and win 4-0 — we have seen them beat Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid this season. Arsenal must refocus and remember they could still be champions of Europe, not just champions of England. They still have so much to fight for, and I can see them winning all five of their remaining games.
This is not the same City team as in previous title races when they matched Liverpool win for win and finished with more than 90 points. This season City have had some strange results against teams you wouldn’t expect. But, despite inconsistency for much of the campaign, there are three reasons I’d edge towards City to win the title.
Firstly, they are out of Europe, which means they are fresher. That definitely helps at this stage. Secondly, Pep Guardiola seems to have found a settled XI, which is unlike him — probably because City usually play twice a week and he has to rotate. For the past three matches since the international break Guardiola’s only change has been in goal: James Trafford played against Liverpool in the FA Cup and in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Whether by chance or choice, Guardiola has found an XI that works and enjoys playing together. The front four has clicked, the Rodri–Bernardo Silva midfield combination is brilliant, and the backline has come together. City have scored nine goals in those three games against Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and conceded only one. Guardiola also has a great bench if anyone gets injured, but right now the team largely picks itself.
Thirdly, big players turn up in big moments — and Erling Haaland will make a difference. Arsenal have lost two league games on the spin, so when they next play at home to Newcastle they’ll be dealing with doubts instead of momentum and confidence. No matter how much quality and preparation they have, what they must manage now is pressure. Their fans are arriving at the Emirates nervous and transferring that anxiety to the players.
City, though, are not under the same pressure. They’re in a situation they probably never expected and they’ve won the league many times recently. There was a time during Sunday’s game when I thought it might not be their day: it was 1-1, they’d hit the woodwork twice after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s mistake let Arsenal back in. You often think that way when watching rather than playing, but City never had a negative attitude. They were relentless in their attacking when it was 1-1 and, rather than sit back, they kept attacking after going 2-1 up.
I was talking to MOTD pundit Wayne Rooney after the game and he recalled Sir Alex Ferguson telling Manchester United to do the same: “go and score another” — never shut up shop and be cautious. City’s relentlessness comes from their manager and having top-quality players with an elite mentality, similar to United in their prime. It also helps that many of City’s players have won so much; even the less experienced ones look comfortable and enjoy themselves. The desperation you see from Arsenal is not there in City — their fans are not worried, they are just enjoying it.
Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
