Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-0 on Wednesday and turned the title race into a straight sprint to the finish. The win cut Arsenal’s lead to two points with two games each remaining, and left the champions needing one more slip to keep the race alive until the final day.
For Arsenal, the margin for error is gone. They can win the title with two victories from their final two matches, starting with Burnley at home tomorrow at the Emirates Stadium. Manchester City go to Bournemouth 24 hours later, which means the leaders will know exactly what they need before City kick off.
The timing matters because Arsenal had briefly moved five points clear after beating West Ham United the previous Sunday, only for City to answer with a 3-0 win over Brentford on the previous evening and then do it again against Palace. After Wednesday’s result, City are one ahead on goal difference and seven better than Arsenal on goals scored, so a level finish would now push the crown their way.
There is still a path to a dead heat. If Arsenal draw with Burnley and City beat Bournemouth, both clubs would go into the final day tied on 80 points. From there, the race would stretch to next Sunday, when City host Aston Villa and Arsenal travel to Crystal Palace, with every goal carrying real weight.
The Premier League title fight has been a two-horse race for most of the season, but the final 19 matches are also shaping the rest of the table. Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are the two clubs still in the relegation fight from this point of view, and West Ham’s trip to Newcastle United on Sunday carries enormous significance. Tottenham’s weekend match away to Chelsea has been pushed back to Tuesday because Chelsea are in the FA Cup final this weekend.
That is the shape of the season now: the title could be settled in a matter of days, but the table underneath is still moving. Arsenal had the chance to clinch the championship as soon as Monday night if City had failed to beat Palace, yet Guardiola’s side held up their end again and forced the race into its last turn. The next 380 games have already been played; the final 19 may decide everything that is left.
