From Other Teams, the Fate of City and Arsenal Is Drawn
How other teams influence the two racehorses at the end of the Premier League season, between City and Arsenal.
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Arsenal player, Martin Odegaard (center), celebrates his goal against Luton Town in an English Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London, on Wednesday (3/4/2024).
In terms of play, nothing has surpassed the quality and consistency of Arsenal throughout this season. However, it is very possible that the best team will not come out as champions Premier League at the end of the season. It's not just defending champions Manchester City who have the potential to trip them up, but also other teams outside the title competition.
Arsenal soars high in 2024. "The Cannon" is almost unstoppable, winning 14 out of 16 matches since the turn of the year, scoring 51 goals and only conceding 8 goals. None of the teams in the league, including City, are better than them in terms of the number of victories, goal productivity, or conceding record.
This series of positive results means Arsenal is still at the top of the standings with 83 points with two weeks remaining. Manager Mikel Arteta explained that his players were in the highest motivation to end their title drought since achieving invincibles two decades ago.
Martin Odegaard and his colleagues were so enthusiastic that Arteta had to be forced to stop training when the session was over. “This moment is driven by energy, enthusiasm and joy in the hunt for champions. We have to continue," said Arteta after Arsenal won 3-0 over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saturday (4/5/2024).
Manchester City's player, Erling Haaland, kicked the ball to score a goal against Nottingham Forest in a English League match at The City Ground Stadium, Nottingham, on Sunday (28/4/2024). City won the match 2-0.
You may plan, but it is City that determines. That sentence seems to be appropriate in describing the story in the league since Manager Josep Guardiola came to City in 2016. Just like this season, they are once again holding the fate of champions even though they are currently in second place.
City will emerge as champions if they can win the last three matches, versus Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United. They will finish at the top of the standings with 91 points. As for Arsenal, who only have two matches remaining, versus Manchester United and Everton, they can only get a maximum of 89 points.
Guardiola always employs psychological warfare tactics. Despite being favored, he always puts City as a "dark horse". According to him, Arsenal is more favored to be the champion because they are ahead in goal difference. If they slip up just once and Arsenal sweeps the remaining matches, City will lose the title.
"We have to win at Fulham's stadium which is always difficult. Also at Spurs' stadium which is also always tough. We can't afford to draw at all. However, it's all in our hands. Only three matches left. We have to win two of those matches to ensure our fate is in our own hands in the final match," said Guardiola.
Read more: Declan Rice's freedom, from and for Arsenal
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is seen dribbling the ball during a Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City, held at Amex Stadium in Brighton in the early hours of Friday (26/4/2024) WIB.
The urgency of City's opponents
Interestingly, the title race will not just be about City. The opposing teams of Erling Haaland and his colleagues also have a big influence. As is known, City have always lost their last four league meetings when they visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The problem is, how much urgency does the Spurs have to win.
Spurs (60 points/35 matches), after four consecutive defeats, are facing great difficulties in trying to snatch the fourth position from Aston Villa (67 points/36 matches). Villa only needs one win to secure their ticket to the Champions League next season. Meanwhile, Spurs will only host City next Wednesday.
This means that if Spurs slip in their match against Burnley (this Saturday) or Villa wins against Liverpool (next Tuesday), the determination of the top four zones will be settled. Spurs have already been confirmed not to make it to the Champions League when they face City. Son Heung-min and his teammates therefore have no urgency to win.
Furthermore, speaking of rivalry, Spurs certainly do not want to give an advantage to their neighbor team, Arsenal. Arsenal's success will further worsen the story of failure for Manager Ange Postecoglou's team at the end of the season. As a result, the battle at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has the potential to be biased.
Read more: Brightening London, Arsenal's Midfield Trio Has Arrived!
The story is always the same when it comes to City. They will win even if they are not in the best condition.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes and his friends celebrate their team's victory after a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (28/4/2024).
The issue of urgency also arises in West Ham and Fulham, who occupy the middle of the standings. Their season is considered over. They are no longer interested in competing for the European zone or avoiding the relegation zone. The lack of urgency is reflected in the string of poor results from both teams.
West Ham has not won in their last four league matches, including being shut out by Chelsea 0-5 last weekend. Fulham has only won once in seven league matches. On the other hand, City is on a series of six consecutive victories. City, on paper, could sweep all remaining matches.
”The story is always the same when it comes to City. They will win even if they are not in the best condition. They know how to win games, also have many good options off the bench. They have proven that in the last few years," said Roy Keane, the legendary MU midfielder who won seven league titles, to Sky Sports.
In highly competitive competitions such as the English Premier League, urgency is crucial. Just look at the bottom-ranked Nottingham Forest team that is currently running from the relegation zone. They were able to trouble City when they met in late April. City was saved due to their efficiency difference in front of the goal.
Read more: The Epitome of Arsenal's Power in North London
The Arsenal attacker, Kai Havertz, scored the third goal in the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (28/4/2024).
At present, Arsenal can only hope that the determination of fourth place can be postponed. This can be achieved if Villa is held by Liverpool, while Spurs win against Burnley. If this happens, the Tottenham versus City match still has the potential to bring surprises. Arteta still believes in miracles at the end of the season.
"In my heart and soul, that's what I hoped for (City losing points). There are still many matches to be played. You have to focus on yourself to win and win, but you also need mistakes from them (City). However, we must always be able to manage expectations (after City's win)," said Arteta.
According to Opta supercomputer predictions, Arsenal still has a wide chance of winning the championship, at 34.1 percent. This is a significant number for a team without championship experience and without the fate of a champion in their hands. However, before anything else, Arsenal must first ensure victories over MU and Everton. These two teams have always been a challenge for them. (AP/REUTERS)
