Premier League title race: Close look at the run-in as Arsenal and Liverpool begin Man City chase

Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions sit two points clear at the top after their rivals slipped up at the weekend, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners and Jurgen Klopp’s Reds separated only by goal difference.

Here, we take a closer look at the top-flight run-in and what promises to be a dramatic finale.

 

Manchester City

Currently: 1st, played 32, points 73, goal difference 44

Run-in: Brighton (a), Nottingham Forest (a), Wolves (h), Fulham (a), Tottenham (a), West Ham (h).

In-form City are seeking to become champions for the fourth year in a row and chasing back-to-back trebles.

A perfect weekend for Guardiola’s side, which included a 5-1 thrashing of Luton, put those quests back on track. City are unbeaten since December, dropping just eight points from a possible 51 during that time.

Star striker Erling Haaland may not have hit the heights of his debut season but is still the division’s leading scorer, while Kevin De Bruyne’s return to fitness following an injury-hit spell has provided a timely boost.

City, who are preparing for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid, are now odds-on favourites for title glory and, according to Guardiola, thriving under the pressure.

 

Arsenal

Currently: 2nd, played 32, points 71, goal difference 49

Run-in: Wolves (a), Chelsea (h), Tottenham (a), Bournemouth (h), Manchester United (a), Everton (h).

Arsenal are at risk of experiencing deja vu. The Gunners topped the table for much of last season before falling away in the final weeks.

Arteta’s men were unbeaten in 2024 – winning 10 of 11 league fixtures – before Sunday’s damaging 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa saw them surrender first place. Arsenal face arguably the toughest run-in of the three contenders.

After playing their Champions League quarter-final second leg away to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, they still have to face London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham and take on Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Manager Arteta is fortunate to have few injury issues and will be desperate to prevent a campaign which promised so much fizzling out.

 

Liverpool

Currently: 3rd, played 32, points 71, goal difference 41

Run-in: Fulham (a), Everton (a), West Ham (a), Tottenham (h), Aston Villa (a), Wolves (h).

Reds boss Klopp is reliant on favours from elsewhere to enjoy a fairytale end to his nine-year Anfield reign following a shock home defeat to Crystal Palace.

Aside from game week 28, Liverpool led the division for more than three months between Boxing Day and early April before losing momentum.

The 19-time English champions, who this week travel to Italy seeking to overturn a 3-0 aggregate deficit against Atalanta in the last eight of the Europa League, have three successive away matches coming up, including a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.

Klopp knows his side can afford few, if any, further wobbles if he is to add to the top-flight title won in 2020 before moving on in the summer.