Sport

Arsenal will now face a different sort of test with Man City pushing them so close

Arsenal are top at Christmas, as many expected them to be after it became clear that Mikel Arteta’s team were title race frontrunners from an early stage of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. The Gunners are on course for their first championship since the days of Arsene Wenger and yet a familiar sense of dread is setting in.

That’s because Manchester City are just two points off top spot. While Pep Guardiola’s side were widely written off early in the season, they have built momentum since then, winning seven of their last eight league games to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

City’s comprehensive 3-0 win over West Ham on Saturday surely struck some fear into Arteta and his players. While the Hammers are fighting relegation this season, Manchester City produced a complete performance that highlighted the level they are operating at right now.

Indeed, City smothered West Ham. Their press was on point and denied the visitors to the Etihad Stadium any opportunity to build out from the back. When the hosts won the ball, they moved it quickly and decisively into dangerous areas for the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki in the final third.

Foden is back to his best. Cherki is settling into his new surroundings after joining from Lyon in the summer. Gianluigi Donnarumma also made a series of important saves in the win over West Ham, giving Manchester City the natural shot-stopper they lacked at the start of the season when James Trafford was struggling.

 

While Manchester City are growing into the campaign, Arsenal are seemingly running out of steam. The Gunners have been less-than-convincing in their last two outings, grinding out victories over Everton and Wolves after losing to Aston Villa at the start of the month. Some of the momentum has been lost.

 

There are explanations for this. Injuries have hit the Gunners hard with Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, Kai Havertz and Cristhian Mosquera all sidelined for the weekend win away to Everton. This is after Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Viktor Gyokeres and others all spent spells out of action due to injury.

It’s been a physically demanding season so far for Arteta’s side. Arsenal are fighting on all fronts, sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League standings. That the Gunners are so low for energy and attacking verve ahead of the most testing stretch of the whole season, however, is a concern.

 

“It gives me belief and confidence: the level of performance and the consistency of that,” said Arteta when asked about Arsenal’s ability to grind out wins to stay top of the table. “It is very difficult to do in this league, so it means the team is consistently there. We enjoy the process of winning. We will have to go to difficult places and have difficult moments. We have dealt with a lot of things already and we are there.”

 

Arteta is right to be positive about Arsenal’s chances of staying top. The Gunners have the most complete squad in the Premier League and have enough depth to absorb a number of injuries to key players, as has been proven in recent times. This is why they strengthened like they did in the summer transfer window.

 

At the same time, though, Arsenal are about to face a different sort of test from a familiar foe. How will they cope with Manchester City breathing down the neck? Will the Gunners maintain their consistency when Guardiola’s team are growing and developing at such a rapid rate? The title race is well and truly on, and Arsenal must embrace the fight.