For the first time since August, Arsenal enter a Premier League game week not top of the table after Manchester City leapfrogged the Gunners with their 3-1 victory on Wednesday night. Both title rivals sit on 51 points but City have a superior goal difference which increased by from six to 10 following their win at the Emirates Stadium.
An even first half was reflected in the score line with Bukayo Saka's penalty cancelling out Kevin De Bruyne's exquisite opener after a mistake by Takehiro Tomiyasu. After the interval, City took the initiative with Manuel Akanji's introduction for Riyad Mahrez allowing Bernardo Silva, who had been playing at left back, to push further up the pitch.
Jack Grealish put the visitors in front before Erling Haaland capitalised on another defensive error to put the game beyond doubt. After the match, despite watching his side extend their winless run to four games, Mikel Arteta's belief in his team has only increased.
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Asked if he still thinks they can win the Premier League, he told Amazon Prime Video: "I have more belief because I see a team that’s gone head-to-head with them. I have more belief in my players."
Despite losing their spot at the top, Arsenal do still have an advantage with a game in hand over City. The clash at Emirates Stadium meant for September against Everton has been rearranged for March 1 and a win could see Arteta's men return to the summit.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has now given his verdict on the Premier League title picture handing a surprise advantage to his old club despite their defeat that subsequently saw them knocked off the top.
"Maybe chasing [Manchester City] might actually be better than leading," he told Premier League productions. "Maybe there is too much pressure on that for them. Maybe people won't be expecting so much in respect of them being at the top.
"What you're hoping for now is that they can galvanise because they've lost two out of the last three now, but they've got to keep it going because this is a good season they're having up to this point. These times were coming but it's now about how they deal with them.
"I thought they dealt with them alright up to this point but now they're going to have to try to give themselves together to start putting some wins together."
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