Like it or not, Arsenal is going to need some help if the Gunners hope to win the Premier League this season. Reigning champions Manchester City still control their own fate and can win another title by winning all four matches left in the season. The good news is that one slip-up from Pep Guardiola’s squad is all it’ll take to put the Gunners in control of the title race. The question is will Manchester City drop points?
That might be the operative question for anyone placing a bet on the Premier League title race. There are countless soccer betting apps that cover both the Premier League and other leagues from all over the world. Those apps go to great lengths to differentiate themselves from similar betting platforms with unique features and promos. let’s explore Manchester City’s remaining schedule and evaluate whether the defending champs are likely to drop points and open the door for the Gunners.
Wolverhampton
There is some hope for Arsenal when Wolverhampton travels to the Etihad. Wolves pulled off a shocking 2-1 win over Guardiola’s team back in September. Obviously, it’s tough to pull off a double over a team like Man City. But Wolverhampton should be confident that they can match up against the reigning champs.
The caveat is that Wolves weren’t in good form before knocking off Luton 2-1 last weekend. That was Wolverhampton’s first win since the second weekend in March, suffering five losses and two draws between victories that included a 2-0 loss to the Gunners. It’s also worth mentioning that in the three previous meetings between Wolves and Man City before Wolverhampton’s win in September, the Sky Blues outscored Wolves 11-1, making that September match look like an aberration.
Fulham
If the Gunners are going to win the title, it could be up to their London rivals to help them. That includes Fulham, which hosts Man City on May 11. The Cottagers were outclassed by Man City in a 5-1 defeat back in September. In the last four meetings between these clubs, Guardiola’s team has outscored Fulham 13-4.
The silver lining is that Man City hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any of those four matches. Outside of that 5-1 loss in September, the Cottagers have been reasonably competitive against the Premier League’s best team. But Fulham was also winless in all three of its home matches in April. That creates plenty of doubt over whether a team like Fulham with little to play for at this point in the season can get a result against Man City.
Tottenham
Do the Gunners actually think that Tottenham will do them a favor by taking points off Man City? Wouldn’t that be an unexpected twist in Arsenal’s title hopes? In fairness, Spurs are still fighting to catch Aston Villa for the fourth Champions League spot, so they should be motivated to win and won’t just lay down to spite Arsenal.
Guardiola’s club does have to make the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which can rattle opponents, as the Gunners learned when nearly blowing a 3-0 lead in the last North London Derby. Also, few teams have been as good at taking points off Man City in recent years as Spurs. In the last eight Premier League meetings between these clubs, Man City has just two wins while Tottenham has five victories over Guardiola and company. There was also a 3-3 draw back in December. Like it or not, Tottenham might be Arsenal’s best hope for taking points off Man City.
West Ham United
If the title race comes down to the final day, the Gunners will be hoping to get some help from West Ham. The Hammers will potentially be alive for a European spot, so they may be motivated to get a result against Man City. Otherwise, they probably won’t want to do Arsenal any favors. The Hammers have also been in poor form lately. Despite helping the Gunners with a recent draw against Liverpool, West Ham has just one win in its last eight Premier League matches.
Not surprisingly, West Ham’s recent history against Manchester City is unimpressive. The Sky Blues won 3-1 at London Stadium in September and 3-0 when they hosted West Ham last May. Despite sitting eighth in the Premier League table heading into May, the Hammers rank 17th in goals conceded. Against a potent Man City attack, that shouldn’t fill the Gunners with much hope if they need West Ham’s help on the final day of the season.