Article body analysed
Premier League title race latest: Manchester City close the gap on Arsenal to six points after 3-0 win at Chelsea Manchester City face Arsenal next Sunday with a chance to reduce the lead to three points with a game-in-hand remaining "Arsenal can win the title next weekend at the Etihad", said Gary Neville Guardiola: "It's important because we are six points behind them, if they beat us it's over, if we draw also" Arsenal remain favourites for the title - Opta predicts they have a 86. 98% chance of winning their first league title for 22 years It's been a difficult few weeks for Mikel Arteta's side, having lost in the EFL Cup final to City, the FA Cup to Southampton and lost 2-1 to Bournemouth on Saturday One thing which is arguably in Arsenal's favour is the run-in, writes Shamoon Hafez Written by Craig Nelson & Tasnim Chowdhury. Despite this weekend's results - Arsenal losing 2-1 at home to Bournemouth and Manchester City winning 3-0 at Chelsea - Opta still has the Gunners as heavy favourites to win the Premier League title. The Opta supercomputer says Arsenal have an 86. 98% chance of winning the league for the first time since 2004. While City are being given just a 13. 02% chance. Here's the remaining games for both sides. .. This Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. This Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. I think it is fair to say that the majority of predictions we have had from you so far have been for a Manchester City win, but we have published a full set - a win for both teams and a draw. Keep those predictions coming while we remind you about the title run-in for both sides and what statisticians Opta are predicting will happen. .. Click 'Get Involved' to have your say I believe that Arsenal will take it to City and win 2-1, probably by a set piece and a Gyokeres goal. Then Arsenal will push on in both fronts and get to a UCL final. COYG! ! Labeeb Click 'Get Involved' to have your say I think it’s going to be a cagey 1-1 draw. Arsenal will shut up shop as even a draw benefits them massively. City will struggle to break them down and ultimately I think Arsenal will crawl over the line as they will be able to afford another draw. Jamie Click 'Get Involved' to have your say I think City will win on Sunday. Arsenal look fragile and as a Liverpool fan I am very familiar with the mentality at City. They are relentless at this stage of a season! Peter Man City v Arsenal (Sun, 16: 30 BST) "Arsenal can win the title next weekend at the Etihad, " said Gary Neville on The Gary Neville Podcast. "Maybe I've got more faith in Arsenal than Arsenal have got in themselves, but when you are in a title race, you're six games out and you've lost a football match, you've got to put it into perspective. "I have thought for a number of years with this Arsenal team that they've got to go and win a game that shakes the world. They've got to go to City next week and win. " Pep Guardiola put it bluntly - this game is a must-win for Manchester City. But Gary Neville believes that the real carrot is for Arsenal. Win and the title is theirs. .. Click 'Get Involved' to have your say Let's have a bit of fun with this. We want your predictions for Sunday's match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium: Send us your predictions using the 'Get Involved' button. We will publish a cross section and may well return to them on Monday in our reaction page, to see who predicted the outcome correctly and who was wildly off the mark. Man City v Arsenal (Sun, 16: 30 BST) What a game we have in store on Sunday. Second-placed Manchester City host Premier League leaders Arsenal. City trail the Gunners by six points but have a game in hand. Win, and they cut that lead to three points. City lose or draw and Arsenal regain the upper hand. The title is on the line. .. Right, well Keith as a Liverpool fan wants the title to go to London. Isn't it funny how football loyalties can see you rooting for the most unlikely of clubs? There is no doubt that Sunday's huge Premier League showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium will hold plenty of interest for football supporters of all sides, not just the two involved. With that in mind, we are going to switch our focus now towards this weekend's game between the top-flight's top two. .. Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say There's lots of talk about the stats, but City have only gained 1 point on Arsenal over the past 6 games. .. if Arsenal can avoid defeat at the weekend, I remain hopeful as a Liverpool fan that the title goes to London! ! Keith Chelsea 0-3 Man City It was not all good news for Pep Guardiola and Manchester at Stamford Bridge, though. Nico O'Reilly pulled up holding his right hamstring just after the hour mark and was replaced by Rayan Ait Nouri. The England defender had broken the deadlock six minutes after the break with a powerful header, his ninth goal of the season, following on from the two he scored in City's 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. The extent of his injury is not yet clear, but any prolonged absence would be a blow to a City side already missing key defenders Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and John Stones through injury. O'Reilly's surging runs down the left, and into the box, have been a key part of City's upturn in form of late - Guardiola will hope the 21-year-old will make a quick recovery. Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say Man City's game in hand gives Arsenal a big advantage, there was absolutely no reason why Arsenal played their game in hand before City. Both should have been played at the same time, this seems to happen a lot in title run ins. Almost as if it's done purposefully. David If Man City win the game in hand they are still 3 points behind. Don’t go and waste a whole season of work, head down and get back to the grind. Stephen Chelsea 0-3 Man City Shamoon Hafez BBC Sport Man City reporter Manchester City have hit form in the past three games, scoring nine goals against Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea without conceding, claiming the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals during that period. The statistics show April is Guardiola's most fruitful month and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's worst - and the results from the two title rivals this weekend backed that up. City have been the hunters before and are comfortable in that role - as Arsenal only know too well. In 2022-23, the Gunners became the team to spend the most days (248) top of the Premier League without winning it. They were five points clear after 32 games played that season, but City, with two games in hand, reeled them in. Guardiola - and Arteta - have been here before. This Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. This Flourish post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. Chelsea 0-3 Man City Shamoon Hafez BBC Sport Man City reporter at Stamford Bridge Manchester City took full advantage of leaders Arsenal's slip-up with a statement victory at Chelsea on Sunday to ignite an enthralling Premier League title race. Second-placed City scored three times in the second half at Stamford Bridge to cut Arsenal's lead to six points - with a game in hand - after the Gunners' shock home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday. Pep Guardiola's City had been sloppy during the first half, but the visitors started the second period with more purpose and broke the deadlock in the 51st minute when Rayan Cherki stood up a teasing cross which Nico O'Reilly powerfully headed in. Frenchman Cherki was the provider again just six minutes later, feeding a pass through to former Chelsea player Marc Guehi, who caressed a low finish into the far corner to spark wild celebrations in front of the away end. Chelsea were falling apart as Moises Caicedo was caught on the ball deep in his own half, allowing Jeremy Doku to break forward and finish with aplomb to seal the three points. Chelsea 0-3 Man City Manchester City Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about Arsenal and the title race after watching his side win 3-0 at Chelsea on Sunday: "We have seven days. So prepare mentally. Beating Arsenal once is difficult, they proved that all season. So to beat them twice in a margin of three weeks is even more difficult. We play at home, it is a final. Relax and focus on what we need to do through that game. If you win or if you lose everybody knows. "We have to talk about what we have to do against a team that defends well, wins duels, attacks also with the long balls, thousand million things that they do brilliantly this season that make them the best team in England - the numbers are there - and the best team in Europe - the numbers are there. "We have incredible respect. "I have three people in front of me here, did you bet £1 before the Carabao Cup final that we would win? No chance. You were all thinking Arsenal was going to win. We have to control that next Sunday. " The inference here is that, while Mikel Arteta has struggled to lead his side to silverware - Arsenal have won one FA Cup and two Community Shields in seven seasons under Arteta - his main rival and mentor, Pep Guardiola, has six Premier League titles among his list of honours at Manchester City. And Guardiola's City side, once again, look to be coming to the boil at just the right time. After beating Arsenal in the final of the Carabao Cup last month, the City manager now has a league meeting with the Gunners at Etihad Stadium in his sights. .. Click 'Get Involved' to have your say It’s painful for me being an Arsenal fan. The wheels have definitely come off and the title race was over for me long before Saturday. I wonder if I’d rather be a West Ham or Tottenham fan? Mikel Arteta doesn’t have what it takes to be a serial winner. James I believe if Arsenal don't win a trophy this season Arteta, the club captain and a few others should leave. The football is diabolical. It's an absolute bore to watch, time's up Mikel. Dave Arteta has had multiple lessons from Guardiola. He's never learned them. Arteta still thinks his 'default defensive system' is right, despite all the evidence. Saturday was a perfect example. Losing at home, Arsenal had 6 defensive players. Look at Manchester City second vs. first half. Guardiola can change games. Arteta can't. Adrian Arteta is not a winner. I don't know how many more times we need to go round the merry-go-round before people are willing to accept it. He was a mid-level player for Arsenal and Everton (never a worldie) and he's a mid-level manager. Nolberto Despite those comparisons to previous seasons, the stats do still show that Arsenal top the table with six games remaining. The issue for some Arsenal fans this morning is that they are beginning to fear the worst, after seeing the Gunners finish second behind Liverpool last season, and runners-up to Manchester City the two seasons before that. A large number of you this morning have been in touch with messages calling time on Mikel Arteta's spell as Arsenal manager [a selection of your messages are coming up next]. What do you think? Can Arteta and his players hold firm? Take the poll at the top of this page. .. Chris Collinson BBC football statistician Arsenal's shock 2-1 defeat by Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium means Mikel Arteta's side have picked up just 70 points from 32 games this season. The last Premier League champions to have as few points with six games left to play were Leicester City on 69 points in 2015-16. Only three teams in the last 22 seasons have had as few points at this stage of the season and went on to win the title - Manchester United in 2010-11 (69 points), Manchester City in 2013-14 (70 points) and Leicester City in 2015-16 (69 points). The average points tally of an eventual champion after 32 games played, in a 38-game season, is 74 points. Therefore, the Gunners are four points off the pace after Saturday's loss to the Cherries. However, they still have more points at this stage than they did when they won top-flight titles in 1997-98 (66 points) and 2001-02 (69 points). Last Updated 13th April 2026 at 09: 47 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.