Premier League title race: The shadow of Man City looms over Arsenal

16/12/2025 07:30:00 VictoryVox

The Premier League title race is intensifying as the busy Christmas schedule approaches. Man City are steadily closing the gap on Arsenal, now only 2 points behind, and Guardiola’s men are eager to overthrow the leaders at any time.

Mikel Arteta showed no contentment following the victory over Wolves. Although beating the league’s bottom team should have been a given, there were numerous factors leading the Spanish manager to insist that both he and his squad played beneath the level of a Premier League champion.

Arsenal leading amid anxiety

Looking at the scoreboard, both of Arsenal’s goals came from Wolves’ own goals. How was Arteta’s attacking quality against Wolves, the team with the worst defense in the Premier League, conceding 35 goals? Arsenal had 17 shots with 5 on target, yet no player found the net. The greatest responsibility for Arsenal’s poor attack lies with Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish striker should have turned the match against Wolves into an opportunity to score, securing his starting spot amid the rising form of the false number 9 Mikel Merino and Gabriel Jesus returning from injury. Instead, Gyokeres appeared sluggish when receiving passes or crosses and managed only one shot. Defensively, the 27-year-old striker fared no better, winning just 3 out of 6 duels while losing possession 8 times. If Gyokeres ends up on the bench next match, he has only himself to blame for wasting a chance to shine against weaker opponents like Club Brugge or Wolves.

Arsenal’s problems extend beyond Gyokeres’ silence to late goals conceded. Arokodare’s equalizer for Wolves in the 90th minute marked the third time Arteta’s team has conceded from the 90th minute onward. On two previous occasions, late goals against Sunderland and Aston Villa cost Arsenal points. Arteta is deeply troubled by the defensive fragility, as shown by only 2 clean sheets in the last 7 Premier League matches. William Saliba’s return has yet to ease this issue, with only him and Hincapie fit as central defenders. Another concern arose when Ben White left the pitch with a hamstring injury. Before celebrations over Saliba, Rice, and Jurrien Timber’s returns could settle, Arteta is already worrying about more Arsenal players heading to the treatment room during the demanding schedule from Christmas through the New Year.

Man City continue to pressure Arsenal’s top spot, trailing by just 2 points

Man City closing in

Unlike Arsenal’s shaky victories, Guardiola’s Man City quietly pursued them with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace. Glasner’s Crystal Palace is among the top 4 contenders this season and posed a significant challenge for Man City.

What was the key for Guardiola’s men to leave Selhurst Park happy? Man City’s attack, where Haaland and Foden have contributed over half of Manchester City’s 38 goals so far this season. With Haaland in top form, it’s very hard to stop the Norwegian striker from adding to his tally. His brace against Crystal Palace brought him to 17 Premier League goals this season, maintaining his lead in the Golden Boot race. Guardiola could only say: “Haaland is incredible,” a statement summarizing the current state of the Norwegian forward. What reassures the Spanish coach is that Man City always find ways to unlock victories whether Haaland scores or not. Foden is rediscovering his best version, recently scoring his 7th Premier League goal for Man City. Also crucial is Rayan Cherki, who has provided 6 assists this season, including the pass that allowed Foden to double the lead against Crystal Palace. This is enough for Guardiola to feel confident in the direct style of football he applies at the Etihad Stadium now.

The contrasting ways Man City and Arsenal secure their wins make the Premier League title race even more unpredictable. Arteta’s Arsenal pride themselves on having the strongest defense in the league with only 10 goals conceded, but Man City showcase an unstoppable attacking force. Both teams understand that every upcoming match will be a mental battle to maintain their position in the marathon race for the Premier League crown. Whoever slips up first will hand the advantage to the other. The current worry isn’t Man City, but the legs of Arsenal’s players. Everyone is all too familiar with Arteta’s side collapsing when standing at the top of the Premier League table!

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