Five games that will decide the Premier League title race

The Premier League title race is heating up as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are all vying for the championship with just 10 games remaining in the season for each team.

Published on: March 30, 2024 at 4:51 AM

The current leaders of the football league are Arsenal, who are sitting above Liverpool in second place. Manchester City is one point behind both teams in third place, closely trailing the top two.

In this article, AFP Sport examines five matches that will have a significant impact on determining the champions of this season.

Man City Vs Arsenal, Mar 31

The most significant match of the title race will take place at the Etihad Stadium right after the national team's break.

If City loses to the Gunners for the third time this season, their chances of winning their fourth consecutive Premier League championship could be ruined.

In October, Arsenal came out victorious with a 1-0 score against Pep Guardiola's team at Emirates Stadium. This win was credited to Gabriel Martinelli's goal that came in the last minutes of the game. Moreover, Arsenal defeated them on penalties in August's Community Shield.

Mikel Arteta's team has emerged victorious in their previous eight league matches. However, City's unbeaten streak reaches 22 games in all competitions, and they have yet to suffer a defeat in their home stadium since November 2022.

City Vs Villa: Clash On April 3rd!

If City manages to win a game with significant value against Arsenal, they won't have enough time to enjoy it because Villa, a team that aspires to be in the top four, will come to Etihad after just three days.

Having a surprisingly successful season, Villa, who were once champions of Europe, are currently occupying fourth place and are hoping to claim their first victory since the tournament was renamed the Champions League.

Unai Emery's team surprised Man City in December with a goal by Leon Bailey in the 74th minute, securing a 1-0 victory.

Ever since then, City haven't lost a single game, whereas Villa have managed to keep their position in the top four despite facing competition from Tottenham.

Man United Vs. Liverpool, April 7th

Liverpool are going to Old Trafford seeking vengeance, following their agonizing 4-3 defeat to their arch-enemies in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

In the game, Jurgen Klopp's team was in the lead twice, 2-1 during normal time and 3-2 during extra-time. Unfortunately, they couldn't keep their lead and lost the game due to a last-minute goal by Amad Diallo. This loss also meant that they would no longer be able to pursue their goal of winning four championships in a row.

There is still the opportunity for Liverpool to provide Klopp with a remarkable send-off in his last season as manager. This can be achieved by winning the Premier League and Europa League in addition to the League Cup, which they secured in February.

Liverpool's chances of matching United's 20 English titles will depend on achieving a win at Old Trafford, a feat they haven't accomplished since 2021.

Spurs Vs. Gunners, April 28

The upcoming north London derby will have an added competitive energy due to the high stakes involved and the historical rivalry between the teams.

In 1971 and 2004, Arsenal successfully won the league at White Hart Lane resulting in clinching the title. If Arsenal triumphs against their despised rivals in the newly constructed arena where their previous victories were secured, it would bring them closer to potentially winning another crown.

Arsenal, who were crowned champions 20 years ago, have only been defeated once in the last six north London derbies. However, in September's match at the Emirates, they failed to secure a win despite leading the game twice.

After being re-energised under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou in the preceding season, Tottenham who have a focus on attacking strategy, will definitely pursue aggressively to secure a top-four finish.

Aston Villa Vs. Liverpool On May 11th

While Liverpool managed to triumph over Villa with a 3-0 victory in September at Anfield, they should prepare for a more challenging match in their upcoming rematch.

As Liverpool's manager Klopp approaches his last league game away, he hopes to secure his fourth consecutive win at Villa Park.

Villa's most recent victory against Liverpool occurred in the year 2020. During this match, Villa managed to score seven goals while Liverpool only managed to score two. After the match, Liverpool's coach, Klopp, publicly acknowledged that his team had performed poorly and had not played up to their usual standard.

Liverpool must avoid any possible collapse as they strive to secure their first title in four years.

If the top teams are still tied after those games, they will have one last chance to break ahead on May 19th. Arsenal will play Everton, Manchester City will compete against West Ham, and Liverpool will face off against Wolves on the final day of the season.