Manchester City’s banner read full-time: “Panic on the streets of London.” Erling Haaland let his hair down and sang Flo Rida’s “Oh, Sometimes It Feels Good.” We’ve all heard those songs.
Arsenal have been at the top of the Premier League for 201 days in a row, but could lose their top spot to a City team on Wednesday night, their seventh day of the season.
It was the same three seasons ago. Mikel Arteta’s side were at the top of the table for 247 days in 2022/23, but lost to City in the final week of the season. That season, Haaland, who had long worn his hair down, let it down and led City to an important victory against Arsenal in April. The title fight was not decided, but things got spooky from there.
The City unveiled a permanent ‘Panic on the Streets of London’ banner, named after the Streets song.
History is repeating itself, and a familiar yet strange sensation descends upon Arsenal. Although the lack of results was disappointing, this performance was a positive one, unlike three seasons ago when Arsenal lost 4-1. It was completely the opposite of his form and expectations before the match.
Arsenal didn’t play badly at the Etihad Stadium at all. The amount of “good performances” Arsenal have put in since Christmas is realistically only a handful. But at a time when many expected the Gunners to defend tenaciously, there was a wise desire to press high and close in on manager Pep Guardiola.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Watch for free: Highlights of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal.
The press was led by returning captain Martin Odegaard. His decision-making on and off the ball was as if he had never been on the road, let alone starting for the third time in three months.
As a result of this successful press, Arsenal won the ball back in the final third five times in the first 25 minutes, including Kai Havertz’s equalizer after Gianluigi Donnarumma’s footwork fumble.
“The high press was really good,” Odegaard told Sky Sports on Full Time. “It looked like they were trying to get the ball back and looked dangerous.”
Havertz was a strong presence at the top end of the pitch, and with the improved performances of Declan Rice and Martin Zvimendi behind him, Arsenal’s attacking partnership looked more dangerous.
There was some unity at the top after recent dismal performances. Their expected goals rate of 1.53 was City’s best conceded rate in the last 10 Premier League games.
And for a period in the second half, Arsenal had the game in jeopardy. Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli missed a great one-on-one chance with the same move, and Ebelesi Eze hit the post to put City in trouble.
Four minutes later, Haaland scored, landing a powerful punch. This would have been considered a great result if Havertz had taken his golden chance in stoppage time. As Arteta said: “We were close, but not close enough.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Kai Havertz missed a great chance to equalize for Arsenal in stoppage time against Manchester City.
At full-time Declan Rice could be heard saying to himself, “It’s not over yet.” The title race seems ominous, but it’s not over yet. Arteta added: “I fully believe we can do it. Today we showed the team what we’re capable of. It’s still in our hands and there to get it.”
Guardiola also recognizes this. “The momentum changes,” he told Sky Sports. “People were saying Arsenal had bad momentum. What I saw today was not bad momentum. Momentum can change in a second.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Manager Mikel Arteta has reacted to Arsenal’s decisive 2-1 defeat at rivals Man City, saying they missed out on a chance in the title race but now have to reset with five games remaining.
So how will Arsenal win the title from here? One of the strange feelings Arsenal have is that while City are in control of the title race, so are the Gunners.
If both teams win all their remaining games, the Premier League title will go to the team that scores the most goals. City look like the perfect place to do that, as they have two of the top three scorers in the Golden Boot race, but Arsenal need to find their own versions of Haaland and Antoine Semenyo.
There were signs that Arsenal could unleash a bit of attacking freedom at the Etihad Stadium. As mentioned above, Odegaard reminded everyone why he is Arsenal’s captain and a major inspiration.
The Norwegian was making his fourth start for Arsenal alongside Eze, and the first time either player had featured beyond half-time in those matches. And Arsenal looked better.
“I felt fine in the match,” Odegaard said of his fitness level. “I was a little tired at the end. It’s good to be back and I hope I can be there until the end.”
Martin Odegaard’s stats against Man City
This shows that having the best players at the most important times of the season increases the chances of success.
If Bukayo Saka returns quickly from injury, Arsenal could start with the trio of him, Odegaard and Havertz in the Premier League for the first time since December 2024 – when the Gunners beat Crystal Palace 5-1 away. Arsenal need new gear.
Arsenal will also do well, bearing in mind that City are not a perfect team and have more difficult games ahead of them.
Guardiola will be under the microscope when his side visit Everton and Bournemouth on the same weekend, face Arsenal on the same weekend, face poor Fulham and relegated Burnley. The possibility of Arsenal winning more points than City cannot be ruled out.
Remaining Premier League matches between Arsenal and Man City
Now, back to the strange feeling Arsenal will have. There is certainly some disappointment, but it could easily turn to optimism going forward. If they play like that between now and the end of the season, two sets of silverware is more than possible.
After the match, manager Arteta said of his players: “They are more confident now. We talked about it in the locker room too. It’s a new league now. Everything still needs to be played. We know how much we want it and we’re not going to stop.”
Both teams competing for the title have strengths, and both teams have weaknesses. Come Wednesday night, both teams could remain at 70 points with the same number of games remaining.
City’s victory and Arsenal’s defeat look like notable moments, but Guardiola’s side only earned the right to compete for the title in a close game. The race, or shootout as many people call it, is on.
