It's looking as though this season's Premier League title race is going down to the wire. Arsenal have led the way for most of the season so far, but there is an ominous feel to the way Manchester City are gathering pace around the home straight.
Regardless of that though the Gunners are the side in front with a four point advantage. Pep Guardiola's side have a game in hand however, and it looks as though the head-to-head clash between the pair is going to be crucial.
Any slip ups either side of that could be faithful as both sides look set to break the 90 point mark. Here football.london takes a look at the remaining fixtures for both sides and where the Premier League title could be won and lost.
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Friday, April 21: Arsenal vs Southampton
Arsenal have the chance to strike back immediately after dropping four points in their last two matches when they take on Southampton this Friday. Manchester City will be playing their FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United on the Saturday so the opportunity is there to open up a seven point gap at the top of the table. Arsenal may have stumbled at a relegation contender in West Ham, but you'd have to back them to get a result against what is probably the worst team in the Premier League this season.
Wednesday, April 26: Manchester City vs Arsenal
This is is the big one. While there is plenty of time for both sides to come back from defeat on paper, you feel as though the winner of this game will go on to win the Premier League. If Arsenal get a good result against Southampton, a draw would definitely benefit them more than City. After Pep Guardiola's side won the reverse fixture at the Emirates so convincingly though, you would have to make them favourites at this stage.
Sunday, April 30: Fulham vs Manchester City
Regardless of the midweek result it will be City who get the chance to strike the next blow in the title race after the head-to-head. Arsenal were originally scheduled to play Chelsea in the Saturday evening game that weekend, but will now face them in midweek due to policing issues. It feels like a pretty kind fixture for City though against a Fulham side who appear to be on the beach already after guaranteeing safety and blowing any realistic shot they had at Europe. If City beat Arsenal at the Etihad and win at Craven Cottage they have the opportunity to close the gap at the top to just one point.
Tuesday, May 2: Arsenal vs Chelsea
Wednesday, May 3: Manchester City vs West Ham
Arsenal will then be given the chance to strike back when they host Chelsea at the Emirates. In years gone by this would have felt like a potential stumbling block, but with the Blues' current form you have to back Arsenal here. City meanwhile will host West Ham the day after. Arsenal know all too well that the Hammers are capable of an upset, but at the Etihad it does feel as though another City win is inevitable.
Sunday, May 7: Manchester City vs Leeds (2pm)
Sunday, May 7: Newcastle vs Arsenal (4:30pm)
This will be the first of several humungous super Sundays before the end of the season. City will host Leeds first knowing that they have the chance to put the pressure on. If results go their way, then this could be the weekend that they overtake Arsenal at the top. The Gunners will have the chance to strike back though, but they will have to beat Newcastle away in order to do so. St. James' Park is where their top four dreams came crashing down last season, and while that is extra motivation, it would be an amazing result for Arsenal to get a win there.
Sunday, May 14: Everton vs Manchester City (2pm)
Sunday, May 14: Arsenal vs Brighton (4:30pm)
For the second Sunday in a row Manchester City will get the chance to go before Arsenal. This time though, it looks like they'll be coming into it off the back of a Champions League semi-final. Bayern could launch a comeback in the second leg this week of course, but overturning a 3-0 deficit is a tough ask. City will be away in the first leg of their semi against Real Madrid or Chelsea. On the basis of that tie so far, you'd have to assume it'll be a trip to the Bernabeu for Pep Guardiola's men. Away days in Europe don't come much tougher than that, and City will have to follow it up with a difficult trip to an Everton side that will be fighting for their lives.
Arsenal will play after knowing if the door has been eased back ajar for them, but their game is by no means easy. Champions League-chasing Brighton are one of the toughest fixtures in the Premier League right now, but at home you would hope the Gunners have enough.
Saturday, May 20: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal (TBC)
Saturday, May 20: Manchester City vs Chelsea (TBC)
The Premier League were scheduled to announced the dates and kick off times for this round of fixtures last week, but that has been delayed. We should find out specifically when the games will be early this week. Given the magnitude of the matches though it wouldn't be surprising if this is another super Sunday special. City will be coming into their match with Chelsea off the back of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final and there's a possibility this could be the third time they face Chelsea in four matches. The Blues have awful record against Pep Guardiola's side having failed to score against them even once in five encounters since the 2021 Champions League final.
Arsenal will still hold out hope however. They'll be heavy favourites to get a win at struggling Nottingham Forest, but this is the exact stage of the season when teams fighting for their lives pull off remarkable results. Arsenal will still be confident though, and could be given an extra boost of motivation by the fact that they may be playing catch up by this point.
Brighton vs Manchester City (TBC)
The date for this game is still yet to be confirmed, but if Manchester City book their place in the Champions League semi-finals, the only window remaining for them in the season to play their rescheduled fixture with Brighton will be in the midweek before the season finale. It feels almost identical to the 2018/19 season where City snuck ahead of Liverpool in their penultimate match of the season courtesy of a Vincent Kompany thunderbolt. It could be the exact same scenario this time around. This match is probably the one Arsenal will pin their hopes on when it comes to City dropping points between now and the end of the season though, and if Brighton are still in the hunt for the Champions League places then there will be hope of an upset.
Sunday, May 28: Arsenal vs Wolves (4pm)
Sunday, May 28: Brentford vs Manchester City (4pm)
And so after 37 matches and nine months, it could all come down to the final day. On paper Arsenal appear to have the easier fixture. Wolves already have a seven point buffer to the relegation zone, and are looking like they could be safe by the time this match comes around. That seemingly creates perfect breeding ground for a comfortable Gunners win, and if it comes down to goal difference that may be an advantage.
City meanwhile have the objectively tougher task of a trip to Brentford on the final day. Thomas Frank's side have already beaten City at the Etihad this season and have only lost twice against 'big six' opponents all season. There is a distinct possibility that they could be in the hunt for a Europa League or Europa Conference League spot at this stage of the campaign, so Arsenal will be hopeful that could make the difference. City though have shown they know how to get the job done on the final day in the past, and the Gunners will want it in their own hands by that point if possible.
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