Why Arsenal's faltering title lead echoes familiar woe of losing out to Manchester City

As Manchester City have shown in recent years, it is not how you start but how you finish – and that could spell trouble for Arsenal in the coming weeks.

The Gunners have led the Premier League table for the majority of the season as they bid to become champions for the first time since 2003-04.

Yet second-placed City have notoriously shown formidable staying power in recent years and, after Arsenal wobbled alarmingly at Wolves on Wednesday night, DAZN News reporter Ross Heppenstall assesses how they could be again timing their run for the finishing line to perfection and once again leaving Mikel Arteta's side behind. 

Twenty-two years and counting

“Come on Arsenal, come on Arsenal,” sing Gunners fans.

But seriously, Arsenal, come on and actually win something.

Stop teasing your legions of supporters with a title challenge that falls flat and cup runs which end in familiar failure.

It has been over two decades since this great old institution were crowned champions of England and Mikel Arteta has failed to win any silverware in the past five seasons.

Now, surely, is the time for some serious progress and to dust off the cobwebs on the Emirates’ trophy cabinet.

The Gunners are fighting on all four fronts, and finishing the campaign empty-handed really does not bear thinking about.

They topped the league phase of the Champions League after eight straight wins, face a trip to League One Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round and take on City in the Carabao Cup final on March 22.

But surely the silverware that most Gunners crave more than any other is the Premier League trophy.

Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

A picture of consistency... until their recent wobble

Arsenal have topped the table since early autumn and have been largely unstoppable in the Premier League.

A record of 17 wins from 27 games is testament to their consistency and has to be applauded.

Especially in the context of their Champions League exploits, which has seen them win eight from eight to top the league phase table.

Their strength in depth is remarkable, with two quality players in each position.

Arsenal have been noted for their strength from set-pieces and defensive resolve, led by goalkeeper David Raya and centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel.

Even without a prolific goalscorer – Viktor Gyokeres has not set the world alight since arriving last summer for £64million – Arsenal have proved too good for nearly every opponent this season.

But Arteta's side have dropped four points in their last two Premier League games, with last week's 1-1 draw at Brentford being followed by a dramatic 2-2 draw at rock-bottom Wolves on Wednesday.

The Gunners surrendered a two-goal lead and by the end they looked anything champions in the making. Worrying times, indeed, for Arteta as the run-in approaches.

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Are City about to embark on a winning run?

Much has been made of Liverpool’s disappointing title defence this season, and rightly so, but Manchester City made a fairly shocking start to the campaign.

They lost two of their opening three Premier League games in what looked like a continuation of their wildly inconsistent 2024-25 season.

But, while there have been a few sticky spells here and there, Guardiola’s men have managed to claw their way back into the title race and are showing some signs of their old selves.

Their recent dramatic 2-1 win at Liverpool poured untold belief into City’s players and Erling Haaland is back in the goalscoring groove.

He scored the winner at Anfield and has three goals in his last five games as he looks to recapture the form which has marked him out as arguably the world’s greatest striker.

January signings Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo have hit the ground running in defence and attack respectively to hand City a massive - and timely - boost.

Unbeaten in their last seven games – in all competitions – belief grows within Guardiola and his players that the timing of their run for the line could not be better.

City have been crowned Premier League champions in six of the last eight seasons under the Spaniard, winning a historic four-in-a-row between 2021 and 2024.

City have made a habit of moving through the gears with devastating effect in the second half of the season, embarking on lengthy unbeaten and winning runs before winning the title.

That should certainly be of concern to an Arsenal side who lie just five points above a City side that has a game in hand on them.

Crucially, the Gunners have to go to the Etihad Stadium on April 18.

While it would be a slight exaggeration to call that effectively a title decider, it wouldn’t be too wide of the mark and could be the game that sees City leapfrog their rivals once again. 

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How concerned should Arsenal be?

Opposition fans have taken to taunting Arsenal supporters with the chant of ‘second again, ole, ole!’ and history shows there is substance to that.

They have finished Premier League runners-up in each of the past three seasons after failing to summon the staying power required to last the distance.

That isn't just a narrative we've come accustomed to believing, either, because the stats back it up. In the last four seasons, City have eclipsed Arsenal's points total in the final 12 games by quite a margin. 
 

Gunners fans have continued to support Arteta, but any kind of patience has a limit.

This season has been widely seen as the one where his side finally comes good and delivers on their promise by going all the way.

Perhaps next month’s Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and City could have a defining impact on the title race.

Yet doubts persist over the Gunners’ ability to fulfil their undoubted potential, with their implosion at Molineux in midweek casting huge doubt over their title credentials.

Arsenal now face a significant test at bitter north London derby rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, cannot be discounted as genuine title challengers, but is hard to escape the feeling that this is a two-horse race between Arsenal and City.

City’s form and experience of being crowned champions ensures that Arsenal cannot sit comfortably at the summit as the run-in approaches.

This is a title race that could go all the way to the death – the very death - as concerns grow amongst Arsenal fans that the title could elude them yet again.

 

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