Why Man City are in the best position to hold off Arsenal's Premier League challenge

[p]On April 11, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] had the chance to go 12 points clear of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Pep Guardiola[/a]'s side, games in hand notwithstanding, and that would surely have been enough for the Gunners to see out the season as champions.[/p][h2]Arsenal wobbling again[/h2][p]The title has eluded the North Londoners ever since the Invincibles season of 2003/04, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Mikel Arteta[/a] consistently being the bridesmaid but never the bride in recent seasons.[/p][p]That's generally been due to a wobble in late March/early April, though Arsenal looked to have negotiated their way through troubled waters with ease this season.[/p][image alt="Arsenal's current form" id="a6d77048-5f2f-4c02-b548-69ce9dd0363b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="aef9feed-cb92-4212-8958-a4380e15c225" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] didn't read the script, however, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=U3M9iQJ6"]their win at the Emirates Stadium[/a] saw the Gunners' lead begin to evaporate, and just 11 days later it had disappeared entirely.[/p][p]Ahead of the next round of fixtures, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] now sit above Arsenal for the first time in eight months, and the momentum is once again with them.[/p][h2]Tricky away trips for City[/h2][p]Moreover, though they have an [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/southampton-WdKOwxDM/?mid=QJ08pSZF"]FA Cup assignment to negotiate[/a], Arsenal have two tough Champions League semi-finals against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a] to get through, and that could be a step too far for Arteta's side at this point.[/p][image alt="Arsenal's upcoming fixtures" id="ed056efe-f077-4402-9f1c-14af87d3b861" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1f197017-8c17-4141-b970-9c2fa185f62b" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Three of the North Londoners' five remaining games are at home, against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle United[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fulham/69ZiU2Om/"]Fulham[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a], whilst they travel to the London Stadium to play a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] side desperate for points in their attempts to stay up, and also visit Selhurst Park on the final day of the season to play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a].[/p][p]City, meanwhile, host [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a], Palace and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a], and have two tricky away trips to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] and Bournemouth.[/p][image alt="Man City's upcoming fixtures" id="095c54c3-9f54-42dd-9f06-410a2b7243b2" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="eee5bcd5-41fc-4c4d-b6f7-e6c006bb0a15" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The game against Villa is on the final day, and if Unai Emery's side have qualified for the Europa League final, this will have taken place just a few days before and could well affect how well they play against City.[/p][h2]Villa on the final day... again[/h2][p]One can't forget the final game of the 2022/23 season either, when Villa were 2-0 up against City with 15 minutes to play, only to concede three in six minutes and hand Guardiola's side a title that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] had one hand on just a few minutes earlier.[/p][p]The issue for Arteta and his squad now, aside from the injuries to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Mikel Merino[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saka-bukayo/08NLEo06/"]Bukayo Saka[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/calafiori-riccardo/CEwq7x7l/"]Riccardo Calafiori[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-jurrien/hSaoLOM4/"]Jurrien Timber[/a], is the fragile mental strength of his players.[/p][embed guid="a103a5a6-7b6c-43cc-a192-3ce4409d934b" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2047090572427678082" social-type="twitter" /][p]When City get going on one of their runs, they seemingly have absolute belief in their abilities to get over the line, and you don't often see that from the Gunners. Arguably, it's not something that Arteta or his backroom staff can coach either.[/p][p]Losing Rodri to injury is a blow for Guardiola, and he's still missing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gvardiol-josko/86K1f1fd/"]Josko Gvardiol[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dias-ruben/OpVD3nmU/"]Ruben Dias[/a], and yet, his side have got the bit between their teeth and are now in the box seat.[/p][h2]Identical records[/h2][p]An identical amount of wins (21), draws (seven), losses (five) and goal difference (+37), really does put into perspective just how tight this season's run-in is likely to be.[/p][p]In terms of current form, City, since losing to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bodo-glimt/S0WZMUNG/"]Bodo/Glimt[/a] in January, have only lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League in the 18 games since then in all competitions, with 14 of those matches being victories.[/p][image alt="Man City and Arsenal's current Premier League positions" id="95ddbbf0-ab8d-4bcc-a915-67a86ecd8181" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="6faaf3c2-eaf9-495f-8a7a-515aa875062a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Arsenal have lost four of the last six in all competitions, and in the other two games - Sporting in the UCL - they only had a 90th-minute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/havertz-kai/rH8BZWiI/"]Kai Havertz[/a] winner in the first leg to show for their endeavours.[/p][p]Prior to those matches, the Gunners had gone 27 unbeaten in all competitions since losing at Villa on December 6.[/p][h2]Time for Arsenal fans to 'trust the process'?[/h2][p]Arteta will no doubt be keen to espouse that supporters continue to 'trust the process' and look to that epic unbeaten run as proof that Arsenal do have what it takes to end 22 years of title pain.[/p][p]However, the destination of this season's trophy is no longer in their hands, and if City can hold their nerve, they'll go on and pick up an incredible seventh Premier League crown in the last nine seasons.[/p][embed guid="b5e19166-0c57-4abf-8c6f-2a1289471792" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2046921962929246675" social-type="twitter" /][p]Given how long it's taken them to scale the summit of the English top-flight, if they were to go on and secure another triumph, this will surely rank right up there with that epic 2023 finish and the 2012 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aguero-sergio/KQybM6Bb/"]Aguero[/a] moment that started the juggernaut rolling at the Etihad.[/p][p]Quite how Arteta would then explain away another failure is anyone's guess.[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="9dc84458-acb1-4785-baaf-5bc155ceb7df" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e3ce7b95-c5e0-4f85-9918-50a515c8605d" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]