The final whistle at the Etihad Stadium was met with a sense of déjà vu for Arsenal. The scene was eerily reminiscent of three seasons ago, when Mikel Arteta's side led the Premier League table for 247 days, only to be overtaken by Manchester City in the final weeks of the season. History appears to be repeating itself, as the Gunners now face the prospect of losing their spot at the top of the table to City.
However, this time around, the circumstances are different. Despite the disappointment of not getting the desired result, Arsenal's performance was a positive one, defying pre-match expectations with a spirited display. The team's high press, led by the returning captain Martin Odegaard, caught City off guard, and for a period in the second half, the game hung in the balance. The 1.53 worth of expected goals created by Arsenal was the most City had conceded in a Premier League match in ten days, and the cohesion up top was a welcome sight after some dismal recent displays.
The presence of Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi added a new dimension to Arsenal's attack, and the team's ability to win the ball back in the final third was a testament to their improved pressing. Although the title race feels ominous, it is far from over. As Arteta noted, 'We have full belief we can do it.
Today we have shown the team that we are. It's still in our hands, and it's there for the taking.' With City having the title race in their hands, so do the Gunners. If both sides win all their remaining games, the Premier League title will come down to who scores the most goals. While City boast two of the top scorers in the Golden Boot race, Arsenal need to find their own attacking spark.
The return of Odegaard and the potential comeback of Bukayo Saka could be the catalyst for a renewed push for the title. As Guardiola acknowledged, 'Momentum changes. People said to me that the momentum from Arsenal is bad. What I saw today wasn't a bad momentum.
Momentum shifts in one instance.' The microscope will now be on City as they face tougher fixtures, and Arsenal will look to capitalize on any slip-ups. The strange feeling of disappointment can easily be turned into optimism, and if the Gunners can maintain this level of performance, two sets of silverware are within reach. As Arteta said, 'They are now more convinced.
They were talking about in the dressing room. It's a new league now.
Everything is still to play for. We know how much we want it and we are not going to stop.' The title race is far from over, and both teams have strengths and weaknesses.
Come Wednesday night, both teams could sit on 70 points with the same number of games left, setting up a thrilling finale to the season.