Arsenal’s five toughest matches left as Man City Premier League title race takes fresh twist

Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip against Liverpool last time out to draw 2-2.

Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus put the Gunners ahead at Anfield before Mohamed Salah halved the deficit shortly before half-time. Salah then missed a penalty that would have drawn Liverpool level but Roberto Firmino put Jurgen Klopp’s side on terms with three minutes to go.

Aaron Ramsdale made a superb save late on to deny Ibrahima Konate and end up saving Arsenal a point and preserving a six-point advantage over City in second in the Premier League. City made light work of Southampton on Saturday evening, beating Ruben Salles’ side 4-1 to keep up the pressure on the Gunners.

They have eight games left to play, with some stern opponents left to face. None more so than City themselves, with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners travelling to Manchester on April 26.

That happens in three game’s time, by which time City will have played an FA Cup semi-final and both legs of a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich. It’s a huge clash and one that is circled on the calendar of fans of both sides and neutrals too.

After the City game comes a welcome to the Emirates Stadium for Chelsea. The Blues are out of sorts but with Frank Lampard back in charge, they have a manager who knows all about the rivalry between the two London teams.

Chelsea have failed to make a real go of it in the Premier League this season despite spending a fortune on players, but they will relish the chance to wreck any Arsenal title hopes. Up next after Chelsea for Arsenal is a game against high-flying Newcastle United.

The Magpies have rallied from a League Cup final defeat to return to the top four and they are three points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth. Eddie Howe’s side are in red-hot form having won their last five games since a 2-0 defeat to Man City on March 4.

They will pose a tough test for Arsenal as will fellow European hopefuls Brighton & Hove Albion, who head to the Emirates on May 14, only the third game from the end of the season. Brighton were unlucky to lose to Tottenham on Saturday and that was only their first defeat since February 18 for Roberto De Zerbi’s seventh-placed side.

After the visit of Brighton, Arsenal will play two teams battling relegation in Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The former are likely to pose a tougher test despite the latter being likely to survive the drop.

Forest’s relegation battle is set to go down to the wire but come the final day of the season, Wolves are expected to be safe. The Reds have made the City Ground a tricky place for teams to come and Arsenal could find themselves in a real battle.