Arsenal Close In on Premier League Glory as Man City's Stumble Opens the Door

Pep Guardiola looked visibly dejected after seeing his Manchester City team surrender a commanding advantage against Everton on Monday evening, though he drew some comfort from his side's ability to at least claw back a point after finding themselves 3–1 down with fewer than 10 minutes remaining.

"In the end, we showed we would keep going, keep going," he said, seemingly convincing himself as much as anyone in the room.

Even if Guardiola's men win every remaining match, Arsenal now have the opportunity to claim their first league championship in 22 years following City's slip-up against Everton. At this stage, the reigning champions must keep winning simply to prevent an early title celebration elsewhere.

Current Premier League Table

The Earliest Date Arsenal Can Win the 2025–26 Premier League Title

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There is a scenario in which Arsenal need just one more victory before being crowned champions.

Should City fall to Brentford on Saturday—unlikely but not impossible—and the Gunners take care of business against West Ham United (a far less certain outcome given the relegation fighters' intense motivation) Arsenal would be mathematically confirmed as top-flight champions if City fail to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday, May 13.

This chain of results depends on Arsenal beating West Ham at the London Stadium. The Hammers were unlucky to suffer such a heavy defeat to Brentford at the weekend and have been in strong form for nearly four months. Across their last 14 league outings, West Ham boast the sixth-best record in the Premier League.

As Arsenal icon Thierry Henry cautioned on Sky Sports, "Nothing is done."

"I am going to stay in my lane, I am not going to celebrate too early," he added. "I am worried for the West Ham game."

Arsenal's Earliest Coronation

Likeliest Date Arsenal Can Win the 2025–26 Premier League Title

In all probability, the title race will go down to the final day, Sunday, May 24. While City's weaknesses were exposed by this particularly combative Everton side, it would be a significant shock to see Guardiola's team drop many more points between now and then.

Both Arsenal and City could find themselves facing opponents with divided attention on that crucial Sunday. The Gunners head to south London to face Crystal Palace, who may well be gearing up for a Conference League final just three days later. The Eagles hold a strong 3–1 advantage from their semifinal first-leg win over Shakhtar Donetsk ahead of this week's home fixture.

Aston Villa still have plenty to do if they are to reach the Europa League final, trailing Nottingham Forest by a single goal from the semifinal first leg. Should Unai Emery engineer another success in his favored competition, Villa would face Manchester City just four days after appearing in the Europa League final. If their woeful performance against Tottenham Hotspur is any indication, Villa could struggle against a highly driven City side still feeling the effects of that European exertion.

Arsenal, Man City's Remaining Premier League Fixtures