Right after the final whistle of Arsenal's 1-2 defeat to Manchester City, a remarkable moment took place. This result puts Arsenal at risk of missing the Premier League title once again.
Declan Rice sat pensively on the field, then looked up at Martin Odegaard and said briefly "not finished yet". That saying partly portrayed Arsenal's mood at this time. If Odegaard showed signs of wavering, Rice immediately responded with a spirit of not giving up when the season still had 5 rounds left, and the opportunity was still present.
In the post-match press conference, coach Mikel Arteta also emphasized the same thing. He said that his players were "even more confident" after the performance at the Etihad - where Arsenal was very close to a positive result.
In fact, the "Gunners" are not inferior at all. Eberechi Eze's shot hitting the post or Kai Havertz's header over the bar in injury time are clear evidences. Just a more accurate moment, the situation in the match could have turned in a different direction. However, the difference lies in the details.
What Arteta and his students are most concerned about is probably not this defeat, but the question of why they could not maintain such a performance in the previous defeat to Bournemouth?
Two consecutive defeats in the Premier League, interspersed with a draw against Wolves, have significantly eroded the advantage that Arsenal painstakingly built. However, the performance at Etihad still provides a basis for them to believe that the championship race is not over.
If they can recreate the initiative, pressing intensity and belief like against Man City, The Gunners can completely drag the race to the final round. In the context that the two teams are closely chasing each other in both points and goal difference, all scenarios are still open.
Notably, considering a long period, the performance of Arsenal and Man City is not too different. Both have a best streak of 4 wins and both scored 20 goals in the last 10 rounds. The actual gap is not as far as recently felt.
Man City is no longer an absolute machine like in previous seasons, and that is an opportunity for Arsenal. Currently, Arsenal is still leading with a 3-point gap. Although Man City still has one match to play and can take the lead if they beat Burnley, the situation is still under the control of the "Gunners" if they do not drop points themselves.
Arsenal's big advantage lies in the schedule. In the remaining 5 rounds, they only have to face teams in the bottom half of the table. Conversely, Man City will face many difficult opponents competing for a European cup spot.
If both win, the championship is likely to be decided by goal difference - a scenario that could completely happen this season.
Therefore, the message for Arsenal at this time is very clear. They will not be allowed to give up. They need 5 wins and score as many goals as possible. The rest, let the race answer itself.
