Manchester City will be reeling after allowing Arsenal to retake the lead in the Premier League title race following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.
The Blues had retaken pole position from the Gunners after Wednesday’s win at the Emirates but Mikel Arteta’s triumph at Aston Villa means his side jump back above the champions by two points with a game in hand.
City are still to welcome Arsenal to the Etihad in the Premier League but have eight matches to play until then, excluding European and FA Cup matches. The congestion of fixtures could play a part in the title race with Arsenal in the Europa League knockouts but out of the FA Cup thanks to last month’s loss to City.
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Pep Guardiola’s men are chasing that elusive Champions League trophy and will have to play an added seven games in order to do so. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Europa League ambitions will likely take a back seat amid their league intentions with a Champions League spot surely now a dead cert.
Here is how their next six Premier League fixtures look.
Manchester City - 2nd (52pts)
Bournemouth (A) - February 25
Newcastle United (H) - March 4
Crystal Palace (A) - March 11
West Ham United (H) - March 19
Liverpool (H) - April 1
Southampton (A) - April 8
Verdict: City will be confident of three points away at struggling Bournemouth and could go back to the top given Arsenal face a stern test away at Leicester. They will fancy their chances of a win against Newcastle while a good result against Crystal Palace is expected despite Selhurst Park always being a difficult place to visit.
An expected win over West Ham before a traditionally hard game against Liverpool will be made easier by their home status while City will look to enact revenge on bottom club Southampton following their shock Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat earlier this year. A few tests are in store but City will be favourites in each.
Arsenal - 1st (54pts)
Leicester City (A) - February 25
Everton (H) - March 1
Bournemouth (H) - March 4
Fulham (A) - March 12
Crystal Palace (H) - March 19
Leeds (H) - April 1
Manchester United - 3rd (49pts)
Liverpool (A) - March 5
Southampton (H) - March 11
Brighton & Hove Albion (A) - March 19
Newcastle United (A) - April 1
Everton (H) - April 8
Nottingham Forest (A) - April 15
Tottenham Hotspur - 4th (42pts)
Chelsea (H) - February 26
Wolves (A) - March 4
Nottingham Forest (H) - March 11
Southampton (A) - March 18
Everton (A) - April 1
Brighton (H) - April 8
Newcastle United - 5th (41pts)
Manchester City (A) - March 4
Wolves (H) - March 12
Nottingham Forest (A) - March 17
Manchester United (H) - April 1
Brentford (A) - April 8
Aston Villa (A) - April 15
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