After being forced to play catch-up for the last month, Manchester City have the chance to exert some added pressure on Arsenal in the Premier League title race when they kick off the weekend’s action at Fulham on Saturday.
City’s last three Premier League wins against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest and Brighton and Hove Albion all came after Arsenal had already gathered three points to temporarily open up a four-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s side in the table.
This weekend, however, City go first and victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday lunchtime would see them move two points clear of Arsenal with two games left.
Arsenal would then have to beat a woefully out-of-form Manchester United on Sunday to regain top spot.
The last time Arsenal kicked off after City it did not work out too well as they lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa, the day after City thrashed Luton Town 5-1 to go top.
Since then Arsenal have regained the lead but only because City were in FA Cup semifinal action and have played one game less than the Gunners heading into the penultimate weekend.
Should both City and Arsenal win at the weekend, the focus will switch to City’s game in hand at Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday when victory for Guardiola’s side would put an unprecedented fourth successive title in their grasp.
For City, the scenario is nothing new. They are proven masters at churning out wins down the finishing straight of a Premier League campaign. They are unbeaten in their last 20 league games and few would bet against them earning the nine points they require to be crowned champions again.
