Arsenal

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If Arsenal are going to win the title, certain things have to improve.

One of them is winning games without winger Bukayo Saka, who has missed the Gunners' last five matches across all competitions with an Achilles injury.

Arsenal have a 73% win ratio (16 wins in 22 games) and average 2.36 points per game with Saka in the starting XI this season in the Premier League.

Without him, their win percentage drops to 45% (five wins in 11) and their points per game is 1.64.

The Gunners are hopeful their 'Starboy' will return in time for the Champions League semi-finals against Atletico Madrid with the first leg next Wednesday in Spain.

But with or without Saka, Arsenal's form under Mikel Arteta in April has got to get better.

Under Arteta, Arsenal's lowest points per game ratio in a Premier League month (5+ games played) is in April, winning 40 points in 27 games (1.48).

And 18% of all their league defeats under Arteta have come in April (nine out of 51).

When they face Newcastle on Saturday, April simply cannot be allowed to get worse.

Arsenal have missed multiple chances this season to extend their lead at the top of the table.

They could have moved 12 points clear at one stage. But back-to-back defeats by Bournemouth and Manchester City mean the Gunners have now won just six of their past 13 league games and momentum has swung towards Guardiola's side.

Talking on the BBC's Wayne Rooney podcast, the former striker said his manager Sir Alex Ferguson "used to always say keep trying to score because it might be decided on goal difference".

However, despite the swing in momentum, Rooney said: "I'd probably still have Arsenal as slight favourites.

"Arsenal have been trying to nick 1-0 wins but they need to change that mindset and go at teams and win by three or four goals."

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Throughout the season, Mikel Arteta's side have been described by many as pragmatic and dogged in their quest for a first Premier League title in 22 years. And for much of this campaign, it looked like their stubbornness in defence was going to lead them to glory.

However, the iconic phrase coined by Sir Alex Ferguson of "attack wins you games, defence wins you titles," might go out the window for the Gunners and their title rivals, Manchester City, for the remainder of this season.

Pep Guardiola's side have closed the gap and their 1-0 win over Burnley saw them leapfrog Arsenal to the top of the league with both level on points and goal difference, but City sneaking pole position through goals scored.

And both know they have their own fate in their hands. If they win their remaining games by large margins, then they have the chance to get their hands on the title in the most dramatic way possible - by goal difference.

With three goals fewer and an attack that has struggled to create for much of the season, many would assume that Arsenal would lack the firepower to keep pace with a City side that are riding the crest of a wave at the moment.

Coming up for the Gunners this weekend is Newcastle United and they have the chance to reach 100+ goals (currently on 99) against an opponent for the fifth time in their Premier League history after also doing so against Everton, West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

But, despite their poor form this season, Eddie Howe's side have been playing on tight margins recently with their last nine Premier League matches either won (three) or lost (six) by exactly one goal. So it seems they will at least dig in and not let Arteta's side run up their goal numbers.

After losing back-to-back league games, Arteta will want his side to recover their form and give the Emirates Stadium crowd something to shout about with nerves creeping into their game in recent weeks. And a victory by a couple of goals could be just the tonic this side needs to inject some life into their title bid once more.

Is it possible for this Arsenal attack to compete with the level Manchester City have shown recently? And is Arteta brave enough to release the handbrake and chase the goals needed?

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After beating Burnley on Wednesday, Manchester City moved above Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since the opening week of the campaign.

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Not many Arsenal players would have expected Burnley to get a result today, but if you are an Arsenal player or fan, you would take a 1-0 loss for Burnley.

"Arsenal play Burnley in a few weeks and they will probably not be as wasteful with their chances as City with so much on the line. Before you know it City are chasing Arsenal."

The Gunners have scored 63 goals while Man City have netted 66 this league season.

"I don't think psychologically it matters that much," Onuoha added.

"Now they have played each other, there is no longer this talk about the title decider in April. You have your five games, they have their five games.

"If you do well enough and win your games, the league title could very much be Arsenal's. They have to back themselves. The fact this only finished 1-0 to City when they had 28 chances, maybe this is the boost they need to turn their form around."

Arsenal are keeping an eye on 21-year-old Turkey midfielder Arda Guler, who could be tempted to leave Real Madrid due to uncertainty over manager Alvaro Arbeloa's future. (Caught Offside), external

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Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Manchester City are now just about everyone's favourites to win the Premier League.

They have all the buzz words on their side; momentum, experience and belief. They 'know' they can win the title because many of the group have done it before, Arsenal only 'hope' they are still capable.

City's win over Arsenal provides the ultimate dream sporting scenario. They both could well end the season on the same points total now and that provides the conditions for a total change in attitude.

If either team is 2-0 up with half an hour to go, they will still have to go at it full throttle for more goals to increase their goal difference.

This is an alien concept these days because players have to rest and recover, so time wasting, constant substitutions and controlled play are the order of the day when the game is ostensibly won with 20 minutes left to play.

But these rules no longer apply and I can't wait to see the outcome.

Winning 3-0, you might still send your goalkeeper up for late corners to get another goal - how brilliant will that be?

No City or Arsenal player will feign injury, take the ball into the corner or take an eternity organising a corner or a free-kick. They will have to keep it moving and keep trying to score more goals.

As a kid, I was brought up with this attitude at Celtic. The phrase was "score an early goal and press on regardless". For years this was considered quaint and almost naive - but from here on in, it is absolutely necessary.

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Sami Mokbel & Nick Mashiter
Senior football correspondent & football reporter

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Former Arsenal technical director James Ellis is a serious contender to become Bristol City's new sporting director.

Ellis has been locked in talks with the Championship side over the past fortnight with a view to taking the leadership position at Ashton Gate.

Discussions are accelerating, with a move to Bristol for Ellis understood to be at an advanced stage.

However, Sheffield Wednesday have also taken an interest in Ellis in recent days as they look to revamp their leadership team before next season.

In an interview with BBC Sport last week, Ellis spoke of his desire to return to football following his sudden departure from the Emirates Stadium earlier this year.

"I feel I have unfinished impact and objectives I would like to achieve," he said

"I have been through rejection, education, coaching, scouting, senior leadership all in this and would like to carry on."

Ellis joined the Gunners from Fulham in 2021, and last summer was promoted to the role of technical director.

Prior to that he had been head of recruitment - playing a key role in identifying several of the squad battling to win the club's first Premier League title since 2004.

He left the club in February following a restructuring of the football leadership team.

Arsenal and Barcelona have emerged as possible destinations for 31-year-old Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva when he leaves Manchester City at the end of the season. (ESPN Brazil - in Portuguese), external

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Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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It's been fascinating to watch the fanbase try and make sense of Arsenal's defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

As the internet and the algorithms demand, we must decide whether this was the final straw in a slowly collapsing title challenge, or the performance that will actually see Arsenal over the line in a few weeks time.

This was probably Arsenal's best performance in weeks if not months. The margins were slim, and if Ebereche Eze's shot had actually snuck inside the post, or if Kai Havertz had converted his last minute free header in the box, we might be talking about a different story. Lots of fans are buoyed by this performance. It has provided them hope.

I have to confess, hope has not found me just yet. This has been a very difficult few weeks as a fan. At the risk of hyperbole, I feel like I've gone through grief. Within every waking hour I experience an anger - that my team might have let me down like this - or a depression, where I have been genuinely close to tears. Then there's acceptance.

Arsenal are still top of the league and in the semi-final of the Champions League, so from an outside perspective it might seem bizarre.

But for me, the defeat at Manchester City, for all of the positives, will be filed into the evidence box for the case against Arsenal. The case is that there are many, many elite things about this team but it's still just not quite enough.

Moreover, when in direct comparison with the Manchester City juggernaut, the Gunners fell short. Asking Arsenal to win away at the Etihad was always going to be a big ask…but if not now, when?

Ahead of the meeting with Newcastle on Saturday, I am hopeful that I will have found my way out of the doom that I currently feel. It isn't over. Until then though, I remain haunted by the near misses of that game, and the potential for another near miss of an entire season.

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

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Arsenal might still be missing a standout player to win games that are decided on "fine margins", says The Observer's Rory Smith.

"There is a legitimate argument to say that instead of signing Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, should Arsenal have gone for Alexander Isak?" he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"That has always been the 'what if' around Arsenal this season.

"I think the club were spooked by what happened to Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard a couple of years ago. They knew they were reliant on individuals to stay fit.

"That hasn't been the case this season, they have lasted the course. It's just that in those really fine margins, maybe they do need someone who is on the amount of money Erling Haaland is on.

"It's just that you can't do that and have that depth."

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Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Manchester City could "galvanise and strengthen" the current Premier League leaders going into the final five games of the season.

Manchester City closed the gap at the top of the table to just three points, with a game in hand, after securing victory at Etihad Stadium.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club about the Gunners' current chances of winning the Premier League, Sutton said: "I didn't feel that Arsenal were bad against Manchester City at all. I didn't feel that they felt inferior.

"They hit the post twice, they carried a threat and they were brave in the way they played.

"But with Arsenal losing that game, everybody is talking like the league is over and Manchester City will just go on and romp it now.

"However, if you're balanced and you look at the fixtures, it isn't over by a stretch. Arsenal are really capable of winning all of their last five games.

"I don't think they were psychologically damaged by the defeat - and we would be talking differently had Kai Havertz buried his header at the end, as he should've done.

"It really didn't feel like I was watching an Arsenal team who felt they were inferior. In fact, the loss might galvanise the team and really strengthen them."

Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend disagreed, adding: "If this game was in October or November, you could take the positives of the performance.

"But when you're in the run-in, unfortunately it is all about results. The fact that it's now in Manchester City's hands as well as Arsenal's, you can't really take many positives from that."

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

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Arsenal have announced that 16-year-old centre back Marli Salmon has signed a pre-contract agreement which will mean he signs a first professional contract when he turns 17 in August.

It is another big step for the highly-rated defender, who has already made his first-team debut this season.

Salmon was taken on the tour of Hong Kong and Singapore and impressed the coaching staff, featuring in games against Newcastle and AC Milan.

The centre-back made his debut in the Champions League in the 3-0 win over Club Brugge and has also made three appearances in the FA Cup, starting the win over Mansfield.

He has mainly played at right-back for the first team as he gets used to the pressures and physicality of senior football, but predominantly plays in the centre of defence.

Salmon is one of several highly-rated players in the academy and, alongside fellow 16-year-old Max Dowman, is one of six youngsters to have made their debut for the first team during this campaign.

Prudent Nsengiyumva
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal's grip on the Premier League summit has felt firm for much of the season but matches like Sunday's defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City underline why the title race remains precariously balanced.

Mikel Arteta's side have spent a whopping 206 days top of the table this season, compared with just six for City, yet history suggests that time spent leading rarely translates into silverware for the Gunners.

Since Arteta took charge of his first league game on Boxing Day 2019, Arsenal have accumulated 537 days at the top of the Premier League. Manchester City, across the same period, have managed slightly fewer at 453 days. The difference, however, is felt most sharply in the honours list: four league titles for City, none for Arsenal.

It highlights a recurring theme. Arsenal have often led the race early and for long stretches, only for City to surge when it matters most. Pep Guardiola's side are used to hunting, not leading, gradually stripping away advantages through relentless form in the season's closing weeks.

Encounters between the two now carry more weight than three points alone. For Arsenal, they are tests of nerve as much as quality – chances to show that lessons have been learned from past run-ins.

Being top for longer than anyone else counts for nothing if the finish line is crossed second. Until Arsenal convert their days of control into their first title in more than two decades, the pressure will not ease – especially whenever Pep Guardiola's City are in pursuit.

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Arsenal academy graduate and former Premier League striker Jay Bothroyd says the Gunners' performance in Sunday's defeat by Manchester City was "really good" but the game was decided in big moments.

Eberechi Eze hit the post and Kai Havertz saw his effort saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma when through on goal with the scores level in the second half, before the latter headed a late chance to equalise over the bar.

"It was a really good performance," Bothroyd told BBC Radio 5 Live breakfast.

"I don't think we can fault it. They worked really hard, they battled. The first half was a little bit cagey but it would be for both teams.

"As the game went on, City started to control possession but Eze has that great effort which I thought was in. Those games are all about moments and Havertz had two big moments in that second half. The one on one and that header at the end and that's the difference. You didn't see Erling Haaland involved in play all game. He was battling with Gabriel but he wasn't in the game.

"Then he turns up with a goal.

"City don't have to play well to win games. What they have now is momentum and confidence. When you look at Arsenal's fixtures, they all now seem like the biggest game of the season and you're looking at them with trepidation rather than confidence.

"I think both teams will drop points between now and the season but it just feels the stakes are higher for Arsenal."

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Olu: A gutsy performance. Professional and daring. Manchester City took the fight to Arsenal. Even after the mistake by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the City players went about their tasks.

Edward: Played well, sustained pressure, but Man City got lucky to get all the points. Arsenal gave them a real run for their money. Title is not over by a long shot. As much as City have hit a good patch they can also come unstuck, like any team.

Ejike: It was a display from a team willing to win. The hunger from the team is impressive. The young players playing as though they've been here previously. In general, the performance from Man City was really awesome. A performance worthy of title.

Gene: Rayan Cherki's goal was a masterclass in ball control, while Donnarumma's was exactly what not to do. While idling at what not to do, how was Gabriel not issued a straight red and why did VAR not look at the infraction? The boys played well with plenty of chances, while the Arsenal's defence became very frustrated as it showed with their outbursts. A very well deserved win with a tougher road until the end.

Arsenal fans

Kevin: Again, we messed about passing backwards and sideways instead of attacking. City kept coming forward while we passed to and fro. The title is now in the hands of other team.

Richard: Mikel Arteta has taken this team as far as he can - if he doesn't win it this year he never will. Time for a change if he doesn't win the league.

Andy: Great performance by Arsenal just unlucky not to score a second. Went toe to toe with Manchester City all the way. With the matches they have left I think Arsenal will still win the title. Can't see City winning all there's and if they do (and with a better goal difference) they will deserve the title!

Natalie: So frustrating, as I think it was a pretty even match and Arsenal definitely didn't look like a team that have 'bottled it'. If the two chances that hit the post had gone in or Kai Havertz had scored at the end, the talk would be very different. I think, unfortunately, sometimes you do just need that little bit of luck and City have the experience to get the job done. I don't want to be negative, but I feel it will be another year that the title slips away.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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As Manchester City close in, the prospect of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal finishing second in the Premier League for a fourth successive season is an increasingly painful possibility.

Arsenal still have the opportunity for glory this campaign, domestically and in Europe's biggest competition, but they have now reached the point where another season that fails to end a trophy drought stretching back to 2020 will leave serious questions about Arteta and his players.

The Gunners simply must win a trophy this season to deliver the answer. To let it slip and finish empty-handed would be cruel, but this is the environment they are operating in.

Arteta and Arsenal must dismiss the growing noise, the noise around them now and the noise that will accompany them if they fall short.

This is not to suggest questions should be asked about Arteta's future - absolutely not - and he could still win a Premier League and Champions League, but if it does not work out as he hopes, he must go back to the drawing board once more to find a way to win.

Former Liverpool and England midfield man Danny Murphy told BBC Sport: "I understand success is based on trophies, but ultimately let's say Arteta lost the Premier League on goal difference and lost the Champions League final, you have to give perspective.

"He's there or thereabouts. They are getting closer and closer. I know it's been a couple of years of finishing second. The squad is as good as it's ever been. There is talk if he doesn't win anything he should go, I think that's crazy."

Arteta laughed at suggestions he will now have to pick his players up, insisting if he had to do that in their current situation he "should be at home".

He said: "I'm very upset with the result because of the way we played. It's a new league now and we have three points advantage with five games to play. Everything is still to play for."

Read more from Phil about the challenge facing Arteta and Arsenal here

I have heard lots of criticism of Arsenal recently - how they have bottled it in games or are falling away again when it matters - but that was certainly not the case on Sunday.

It was a disappointing result for them, but when they review this game in the cold light of day they cannot be disappointed with the performance.

They had a real go at Manchester City in the second half and created some really good chances.

Gabriel came within the width of a post of making it 2-2 and Eberechi Eze came even closer when he hit the inside of the upright. If the ball goes across the line instead of bouncing along it, then it is Arsenal who are ahead.

On a different day they could easily have won this game, they would be nine points clear and we would all be saying the title race is done.

The reason Arsenal will be kicking themselves is because we did not see this intensity when they lost at home to Bournemouth last week.

Maybe that was because they are playing a lot of games at the moment and energy was a factor, but I think it is more to do with mindset.

You know as a player that when you play City away you have got to be at it, and you find the extra you need physically and mentally to match them. You have to, because you know how good they are.

It is different when you are at home to a team like Bournemouth on a sunny afternoon and part of you is thinking 'we are better than these'.

You expect to be beating them and, when you are not, you have got to somehow find a way within a game to change momentum.

I was at Emirates Stadium for the Bournemouth game, and I did not see the energy and urgency from Arsenal that I saw at Etihad Stadium.

Yes, Arsenal have messed up recently, but not this time.

Read more from Danny on the title race here

Alex Howell
Football reporter

It is rare for a team to be challenging for the title without a forward in the conversation for team of the season, but it is difficult to argue against the fact that is where Arsenal are.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo will undoubtedly be in contention for the end-of-the-season awards while past title-winners have boasted the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero and Didier Droga.

Arsenal's available forward options of Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Jesus undoubtedly have their strengths - but it feels a stretch to call any of them ruthless match-winners.

The all-round play of Gyokeres has been questioned and he is often only effective against sides that aren't at the top end of the table.

Havertz's opening goal on Sunday was his first of the season, Leandro Trossard has not scored for 22 games, Madueke has two league goals, while Eze has six - but five of those have come in two matches against rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal were also without Bukayo Saka, who missed out with an Achilles injury, but despite usually being one of Arsenal's most reliable forwards, his numbers are down this season.

Mikel Arteta's side have been criticised throughout the season for their style of play with their strengths being their threat from set-pieces and their excellence in defending the cornerstones.

At times throughout the season, Arsenal have struggled to create chances and that is reflected in their goals from open play.

Arsenal have 35.8 expected goals from open play this season - sixth in the league. Manchester City are second (42.1) with Chelsea top (43.2).

"Teams were starting to get scared of Arsenal's set-pieces," former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"This is great when you get points but the more and more time goes on, you start to rely on this and start to feel comfortable with this. You don't concede many goals, you don't create many goals but you get those chances where you feel like you are going to score.

"The message you are giving is, 'don't worry guys, stay strong and if we get set-pieces we can count on that'."

And the former defender thinks if Arsenal played with a different style, their forwards would flourish.

"The more time that goes on, the less you think about how you are going to create and hurt people," he said.

"It's not about playing 'free football' and scoring five goals but I do feel with the players they signed over the summer, they could damage any team if you give them that freedom.

"I have just felt over the last few weeks, it feels like they are just not trying to make mistakes rather than trying to take risks and going for the win."

Read more from Alex on Arsenal's forwards here

Paris St-Germain sporting advisor Luis Campos has held talks with the representatives of Arsenal's Brazil forward Gabriel Martinelli, 24. (L'Equipe - in French, subscription), external

Tottenham's Sweden midfielder Lucas Bergvall, 20, is being monitored by several clubs, with Arsenal and Chelsea interested. (Caught Offside), external

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