When Arsenal were eight points clear atop the Premier League table with just a couple of months remaining in the season – there were many fans and pundits who believed they had done enough to secure their first title in two decades.
Their late-game heroics and subsequent come from behind victories against Manchester United and Bournemouth were two fixtures in particular that gave you the feel there was something special about this squad. And while counting out defending champions Manchester City is never a smart thing to do – the 2022/23 Premier League had all but officially become Arsenal’s to lose by March.
That’s a lot of pressure for a young squad – and it was a level of pressure that evidently became too great. The North London club have capitulated down the stretch, with a horrific month of April that consisted of three consecutive draws against Liverpool, West Ham and cellar dwellers Southampton before being trounced 4-1 by City at the Etihad.
While that wasn’t quite the nail in the coffin for the Gunners – their 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Brighton at home almost certainly was. Despite Arsenal’s poor form in April and May, that shouldn’t take away from the exceptional play of City over the past 14 weeks.
Pep Guardiola’s side have won 13 of their last 14, with their only blemish coming in a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest away from home. As a result of their sublime run of form, City are overwhelming favourites at 1/100 in the Premier League winner odds to hoist their seventh trophy in 12 years.
With a four-point buffer and a game in hand (at the time of writing), it will take a capitulation of epic proportions for the men in sky blue to not win it all yet again. While it isn’t the most difficult run home for Kevin De Bruyne and company to end the season – it isn’t the most straightforward either.
They have Chelsea at home before taking on a pair of in-form outfits in Brighton and Brentford – both of which are away. All City need is a win in one of those three fixtures and they are champions – and given the eyewatering talent that exists in their squad and their flawless form since February – one would expect the Manchester club to get the job done.
For those after Premier League tips, unsurprisingly, Manchester City are tipped to reign supreme in all three of their remaining fixtures.
The Premier League title is not the only silverware City are chasing, with them currently vying for an historic treble. At the time of writing, they are still in the hunt for their maiden Champions League title, to coincide with an FA Cup final berth against cross-city rivals Manchester United on June 3.
If they can manage to do what Liverpool failed to do last season and secure three or more titles this season – this City squad will arguably be remembered as the greatest English football team in history.