The team dropping the ball is Manchester City—losing points after leading, Haaland silent for three matches, now 6 points behind Arsenal.

Manchester City was the first to slip in the Premier League title race, possibly leaving Arsenal’s championship uncontested. In the 20th round, Arsenal secured an earlier victory, and Manchester City faced a Chelsea team without a coach at home, but conceded a 94th-minute equalizer by Enzo, resulting in a 1-1 draw. City dropped points in consecutive matches, allowing Arsenal to open a 4-point gap over two rounds. For title contenders, this is a significant slip. Notably, top-paid Haaland has been goalless in three straight league games, disappearing in crucial moments—a typical pattern for him.

Manchester City drew 1-1 with Chelsea, and Guardiola showed weakness.In the first half, Manchester City dominated possession with 68%, taking 9 shots with 2 on target, while Chelsea had 1 shot and none on target, trailing 0-1 at halftime.However, the second half saw a drastic change, with Manchester City playing very cautiously,possession dropping quickly to 46%, taking 5 shots with 1 on target; Chelsea had 7 shots with 3 on target.Enzo scored a stoppage-time equalizer. Manchester City’s 3 points turned into 1, losing 4 points over two matches. The stats show a stark contrast between City’s first and second half performances. Leading by one goal in the Premier League and trying to hold on often results in dropped points due to cautious play.

Chelsea’s form in this match was actually poor, but Manchester City sabotaged themselves. Sterling was slow and showy when receiving the ball, losing it multiple times near the top of the box, and there was a clear lack of passing between him and Foden, almost as if they were at odds. Sterling made constant mistakes, and Guardiola’s in-game management was poor—he ignored the problems and made no adjustments. Haaland’s goals have been rare and mostly when the team is already ahead. Meanwhile, a player like Enzo, who is key in maintaining a top club’s baseline, ironically was City’s poorest performer. Additionally, City’s crucial defender Gvardiol got injured and left the field, and without him, Guardiola’s tactics will be significantly affected, which is unfavorable for upcoming matches.

The Premier League slip-ups, from Arsenal in past years to now Manchester City, suggest that Guardiola’s rumored departure this summer might not be unfounded, as he seems unable to push City further. Guardiola’s tenure at City has reached a plateau, also influenced by personal reasons.

In my opinion, the Premier League title race this season is largely decided. Arsenal leads Manchester City by 6 points, the equivalent of two matches. Both teams have a goal difference of +26, meaning City would need to win at least two more matches than Arsenal in the remaining 18 games to overturn the gap. Arsenal may still drop points, but Manchester City seems even more likely to falter. Perhaps Arsenal, after finishing second three times in a row, is finally ready to win the Premier League. Failure breeds success; Arsenal is steadily improving and will eventually reach the top—maybe on May 24th this year, or even earlier with an early title clinch.

Keep going, Arsenal—keep striving!