Arsenal and City: Who is more favored to win the Premier League?

Why will the Arsenal and Manchester City match be decided by psychological factors?

The race for the English Premier League title remains mathematically the same, but has changed from a psychological perspective. Manchester City is still six points behind league leaders Arsenal, the same gap as the previous week. However, momentum seems to be favoring City following their dramatic victory at Anfield Stadium.

City is expected to lose points at Liverpool's home ground, Anfield Stadium. This prediction held true until the 83rd minute, when Erling Haaland and his teammates managed to turn the game around by the final whistle. City snatched a 2-1 victory after initially falling behind at the notoriously intimidating stadium, Monday (9/2/2026 WIB).

According to former City goalkeeper, Joe Hart, the most important aspect of the resurgence at Anfield is the psychological state of the team. "I think they have regained confidence that they are in the title race," said Hart.

City seems to be experiencing a reincarnation at Anfield. The morale of the squad is certainly lifted by their first away victory in the league during 2026. They were initially overshadowed by a trend of three consecutive failures to win away from home this year. Without hesitation, City reversed that momentum at the home ground of the defending champions.

Moreover, City can perform more freely as they are only considered the dark horse. The significant pressure is actually on Arsenal, which has been the favorite since the first half of the season.

Regardless of what City does, the championship fate still lies in Arsenal's hands. "The Gunners" only need 11 more victories in the remaining schedule to secure the championship title. This number could decrease if City drops points. With Arsenal's impressive record so far (17 wins, 5 draws, 3 losses), Opta's prediction favoring them as champions is quite reasonable.

Arsenal's squad depth and quality are unquestionable this season. The question lies more in the mentality of Mikel Arteta's team. They will be haunted by consecutive failures in the last three seasons. Meanwhile, Declan Rice and his teammates have only been champions' companions, finishing runners-up since the 2022-2023 season.

Why was Manchester City's victory over Liverpool a threatening message to Arsenal?

The dramatic resurgence of Manchester City against Liverpool at Anfield Stadium has revitalized the competition for the English Premier League title. Although still trailing six points behind the league leaders, Arsenal, City has the potential to reverse the momentum, bolstered by their championship experience and the high morale of the squad.

The winning mentality of Manager Guardiola's team shone brightly at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, on Monday (9/2/2026) early morning WIB. City won 2-1 after initially falling behind due to a spectacular free kick by midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai in the 74th minute. Instead of being demoralized, the visiting team managed to rally in the closing moments of the match.

"I think the entire team knows that the title race could end if we lose here. We feel a great need for victory. The hope is just to fight until the end. I am very happy that we were able to turn the situation around because you know how difficult it is to win here," said City captain, Bernardo Silva.

After a fierce battle since the kickoff, it was very difficult for City to fall behind due to a goal from a set piece. They were doubted in their ability to respond to Liverpool, who performed very intensely in the second half. Moreover, City's record has been very poor when conceding first this season, having lost four times out of four opportunities.

It is evident that City is struggling to regain control of the game. The resurgence of Erling Haaland and his teammates is purely driven by the desire not to lose and forfeit the title. The equalizing goal finally arrived with six minutes remaining in regular time, courtesy of Silva who capitalized on Haaland's header.

Silva's goal is enough to illustrate the never-give-up mentality of the City squad. The goal actually came from a non-threatening situation. However, Haaland made the difference with his effort to win the aerial duel in the penalty area. A scramble ensued. Silva happened to be in the right position to execute the opportunity.

Haaland's fighting spirit deserves praise. According to Guardiola, the striker's condition deteriorated drastically after halftime.

How did Viktor Gyokeres become Arsenal's goal predator?

More than half a year since his arrival at Arsenal, striker Viktor Gyokeres is beginning to showcase his true charm. The forward is gradually taking on the role of the goal-scoring machine that "The Gunners" have long yearned for. Gyokeres is no longer merely a distraction in the opponent's penalty area.

Arsenal has extended its lead in the race for the English Premier League title after defeating Sunderland 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium in London on Saturday (7/2/2026 WIB). The victory was initiated by midfielder Martin Zubimendi with a goal from outside the penalty area in the first half.

Gyokeres concluded the visitors' resistance with two goals after halftime. Gyokeres then made an instant impact after coming on as a substitute, replacing striker Gabriel Jesus.

"We have successfully demonstrated throughout this season that many players can make an impact from the bench. That is a good sign," said Gyokeres, who just entered the match when it had been ongoing for an hour.

Before Gyokeres entered, Arsenal was only leading 1-0. The hosts were struggling amid Sunderland's urgency to find an equalizing goal. The Arsenal squad was trapped in a difficult situation. They were hesitant to play too openly, yet also tried to escape the pressure from the visiting team.

The unease of Declan Rice and his teammates is closely related to a series of poor results in league matches at home. They have failed to win consecutively twice at the Emirates Stadium. The burden on the Arsenal squad is becoming heavier as they have entered a crucial phase in the title race.

Arteta's decision to include Gyokeres proved to be correct. Just six minutes after entering the game, the Swedish national team striker doubled the lead. The goal showcased the presence of a goal predator in the penalty area. They lacked that figure in the first hour as Jesus operated more in the outer areas.

In injury time, Gyokeres scored a brace on the counter-attack. His hunger for goals was evident throughout the attack. He has scored eight goals in the Premier League this season.

Why did the League Cup final become the opening saga of the Arteta and Guardiola rivalry?

An interesting fact emerged alongside Manchester City's success in advancing to the final of the English League Cup. This competition opens the possibility of a parallel rivalry between Pep Guardiola (City) and Arteta (Arsenal). In addition to the League Cup, both teams also have the potential to meet in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.

In the English Premier League, Arsenal and City continue to occupy the top two positions in the current standings. Arsenal currently leads by six points over City in second place. The competition between the two teams at the top of the English Premier League table is expected to continue until the final week of the league.

The English League Cup final will mark the beginning of a potential long rivalry between the two teams this season. City advanced to the final after eliminating the defending champion, Newcastle United, with an aggregate score of 5-1, on Thursday (5/2/2026), at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Arsenal qualified earlier by defeating Chelsea, 4-2, on aggregate in the semifinal, which took place over two meetings.

The final match will take place at Wembley Stadium, London, on Sunday (22/3/2026) evening. Since taking charge of Arsenal in 2019, Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta has faced Pep Guardiola, who was his mentor when he was still an assistant manager at City, 15 times.

In the League Cup, Arteta and Guardiola met once in the quarter-finals of 2020. At that time, Arteta—who was in the process of building the foundation of Arsenal at the beginning of his coaching era—was defeated with a rather significant score of 1-4.

"This will be a good experience for us. Hopefully, we can arrive in March with all players in good condition and ready so that we can play a great match against them (Arsenal)," said Guardiola.

Arteta's record of victories over Guardiola stands at only four out of 15 encounters. Therefore, Arteta certainly desires to defeat his mentor in the upcoming final. In addition to improving his personal record each time he faces Pep, Arteta is also eager to deliver the first major title for Arsenal since winning the FA Cup in 2020.