Arsenal sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, having played a game more than chasers Manchester City who host Newcastle at 20:00 Saturday.
Having dropped two points away to Wolves on Wednesday, The Gunners’ lead could be closed to only two points at the end of game week 27.
It was the first time a team at the top of the league have thrown away a two-goal lead to the team bottom of the league in Premier League history.
Arsenal were 2-0 up curtesy of a Bukayo Saka header, following his new five-year contract extension, and a first Premier League goal for Piero Hincapie.
However, the title leaders suffered a late Wolves comeback as 19-year-old, Tom Edozie netted a 90+4-minute equaliser on debut, the game finishing 2-2.
The Gunners’ poor form has seen them win only two of their last five Premier League games, dropping points to Manchester United, Brentford and Wolves.
Just five league games ago, The Gunners were seven points clear of serial winners Manchester City, but Arsenal’s safety cushion has begun to deflate.
A title-defining clash still awaits Arsenal as they head to The Etihad on the weekend commencing 18th April.
The last time an Arsenal team won at City was 11 years ago.
11 games left for Arsenal, 12 for City – but who has the ‘easier’ run remaining?
Before Manchester City and Arsenal’s league clash, they will face each other in the Carabao Cup Final on 22nd March.
The cup final could be a stepping stone for Arsenal in their quest for their first league title in over 20 years, boosting Mikel Arteta’s squad’s confidence and giving them the belief they can bring silverware back to North London after a six-year trophy draught.
However, if Arteta’s men fail to win the League Cup, their belief and morale may suffer and affect their chances at the Premier League title.
One thing is for certain – City have been there. Done that. Arsenal have not.
Pep Guardiola and his men are among the elite at performing when it matters, proven by their late comeback at Anfield at the start of the month and their overall dominance of English football under Guardiola in the last nine seasons.
Guardiola has won six out of eight Premier League trophies in the eight seasons he’s been in Manchester.
For two of these Premier League titles, Arteta was Guardiola’s assistant, which made him a feasible option to become manager at Arsenal following Unai Emery’s departure in 2019.
The apprentice is yet to conquer the teacher in the Premier League as yet but has taken Arsenal back to being a title-challenging force.
Having won only the FA Cup in his first season, many are questioning whether Arteta is the man to get Arsenal over the line.
City’s experience at getting across the line (and Arsenal’s lack of) in title races could prove pivotal as the end of the season grows closer.
In the 22/23 season, Arsenal led the standings for 248 days, the most for a team who failed to win the English top-flight, in history.
In the fifth to last game of the season that year, Manchester City beat Arsenal 4-1 at The Etihad to claim top spot at the death, going on to win the league in the weeks that followed.
The beginning of the infamous Arsenal ‘bottle’.
In the season that followed, Arsenal, again, lost out on the league title to Manchester City, this time only by two points.
Last season, Arsenal, again, finished second.
Three years of always being the bridesmaid and never the bride.
But will they be the bride this year or remain a bridesmaid for a fourth consecutive year?
