Arsenal's lead at the top of the table is just four points heading into the final seven matches of the season. Their draw with West Ham on Saturday means it is four dropped points in the same week, the first time they have failed to win in consecutive league games since February.
After moving eight points clear two months ago, that could be as little as one by the time the next round of games is over. It is Southampton next up for Mikel Arteta's men as a chance to respond ahead of Manchester City arises, but the pressure is building.
City have now won their past nine games by a combined score of 34-4. This is what Pep Guardiola's side do and they have started to look like the unstoppable force that many predicted throughout the season. How Arsenal deal with this added weight of challenge in the final run-in may well define just successful it is.
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The Gunners have dropped out of both domestic cup competitions and exited the Europa League at the last-16 stage on their way to pursuing what was an unlikely title charge at the start of the season. How well placed those priorities were could be affected by what is to come in the next six weeks or so.
Here's the toughest five games left.
5. Brighton (H) - May 14
With just seven games left it is now imperative that no more slip-ups occur and every match is as important as the rest. That doesn't detract from just how tough the final stretch is for Arsenal.
They face three of the top seven, including two of the remaining top three in the Champions League spaces. Brighton, now buoyed by home and away wins against Chelsea, are eying up a push for the top four too.
4. Newcastle (A) - May 7
It is Newcastle that are the current gatekeepers for the top four though, sitting three points ahead of Tottenham with a game in hand. The Toon are just three points off Manchester United in third as well.
The trip to the north east will be one of the hardest away games left on the calendar.
3. Chelsea (H) - May 2
Chelsea aren't much more daunting than a kitten playing with a toy right now but the Blues have history as being the script-writers. It would be extremely Chelsea, especially with Frank Lampard in charge, to raise themselves for this game just at the prospect of spoiling the fun.
Arsenal on paper are clear favourites and little that Chelsea have done will suggest they will be anything close to a match for the red juggernaut but London derbies do strange things to teams.
2. Wolves (H) - May 28
With Southampton and Nottingham Forest both fighting for their lives more than Wolves, there is a case to suggest that those games may well be tougher on paper. This is the last game of the season, though, and should the title still be on the line at this point it would present a massive hurdle to get over.
The pressure and expectation of a home game for this inexperienced side throws up all sorts of final day drama narrative potential. City, who have won the league twice in the past three years on the final day, have even gone behind and still managed to win.
1. Manchester City (A) - April 26
The key to this all will be ensuring that it goes down to the wire. City can open up a two point gap if both teams match other but Guardiola's men win in the top of the table clash at the end of the month.
This is, for all intents and purposes, a true title decider.
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