The banner that Manchester City fans hung in the southern stands of the Etihad stadium - "panic on the streets of London" - seems to have accurately portrayed the current situation of the Premier League title race. After a 1-2 defeat to a direct opponent, Arsenal is only 3 points ahead of Man City but has played one more match, thereby losing a significant advantage they once held.
In that context, if Pep Guardiola's team defeats Burnley at Turf Moor in the middle of the week, they will rise to the top of the table thanks to goal difference, when there are only 5 rounds left in the season. From being chased, Man City now has a great opportunity to reverse the situation in the decisive stage.
This development is really surprising if you look back less than a month ago, when the "Gunners" once created a gap of up to 10 points after a 2-0 victory over Everton - a match that made the Emirates stadium burst into belief in a championship after 22 years of waiting. At that time, everything seemed to be within reach of Mikel Arteta's team.
However, in just a short time, the situation reversed. Two consecutive defeats in the Premier League caused Arsenal to lose stability right at the crucial moment, raising familiar worries about a stumble at the end of the season.
The big question at this time is what caused Arsenal to decline so quickly, who is responsible for losing momentum at the right time. And more importantly, are they still brave enough to reverse the situation in the remaining rounds or not.
Arsenal's concern at this time is completely justified. Since the 2004 championship, the London team has never returned to the top, and this season was once considered the clearest opportunity to end the drought that has lasted for more than two decades.
Although Liverpool is the defending champion and attracts attention with huge spending in the 2025 summer transfer window, Arsenal actually has a higher net spending level. They possess a squad that is highly appreciated for both quality and depth.
Many opinions even suggest that Arteta's team is the best squad in England currently. Theo Walcott once questioned whether the Manchester United squad that won the Premier League and Champions League in 2008 was strong enough to compete with Arsenal, while Piers Morgan also affirmed that this team could win the quadruple thanks to owning the strongest squad in club football history.
Although those assessments are somewhat exaggerated, they clearly reflect the huge expectations placed on Arsenal's shoulders - not just a title, but also a historic season. After spending more than 1 billion pounds since Arteta took office, winning at least one major title has almost become a mandatory requirement.
Legend Nigel Winterburn once frankly stated that Arsenal has no excuse after three consecutive seasons of losing momentum, although he still believes this is the strongest squad of the club, with enough depth to make a difference.
In fact, The Gunners have proven that for most of the season. Before March 22, they only lost 3 out of 49 matches in all competitions, showing remarkable stability. However, from that point on, things began to reverse when they lost 4 out of the last 6 matches. The clear turning point came from the 0-2 defeat to Man City at Wembley, a match that not only missed them the opportunity to win titles but also led to a decline in morale.
The Carabao Cup final was once seen as an opportunity for Arsenal to win their first title since the 2019 FA Cup, and at the same time send a strong message to Man City - an opponent who has repeatedly surpassed them in the championship race. However, instead of affirming their position, they were defeated convincingly, thereby raising doubts about the bravery as well as the true ability of the team under Arteta.
