Manchester City’s title destiny is now out of their hands, but the world champions will continue to fight. Sunday’s nil-all draw with Arsenal has now handed the initiative to league leaders Liverpool and Arsenal in this season’s title race. Despite this, the champions will continue to fight for history this campaign.
Sunday’s draw at the Etihad Stadium against a stubborn Arsenal means the champions must now rely on other results if they are to win the Premier League this season. They must also win the majority, if not all of their remaining 9 games, to have any chance of overhauling both Liverpool and Arsenal on the Premier League table. The odds are not insurmountable, but the dynamic has changed in this season’s title race.
With 9 games to go, there will undoubtedly be more twists and turns in the title race. If that proves to be the case, Manchester City must keep winning to be positioned to capitalise on any slip by their title rivals. The title is rarely decided at the beginning of April. So, while City’s draw with Arsenal was frustrating, it hasn’t closed the door on Manchester City’s title destiny.
Speaking with mancity.com following the draw with Arsenal Bernardo, Silva knows anything can happen at this stage of the season. City’s workhorse said: “A lot can happen now we don’t depend on ourselves. We depend on Liverpool and Arsenal now. Because we don’t play against them again. So we need them to drop points as well as do our job and win our own games.”
Pep Guardiola has said that while Manchester City’s title destiny isn’t in their hands, they will continue to fight. The fight continues starting with their upcoming game against Aston Villa: “Always who is first is favourite. Second favourite is Arsenal. Third, we are. It’s not in our hands. All we can do against Aston Villa is try to win the game. When we were top we were favourites because it was in our hands but now it is not.”
Sunday’s draw with Arsenal was a frustrating result for Manchester City. But the Premier League title is still a possibility for the world champions. Based on the words of Bernardo Silva and Pep Guardiola, they will continue to fight for a fourth consecutive Premier League title. Given the fight in the Manchester City squad, they will leave no stone upturned to achieve another historic feat.
More must-reads: