The stage has been set for a straight shootout between Arsenal and
Don’t be so sure on that happening, though.
Indeed, by Sunday night, the number of teams potentially involved in the title race could easily have grown to five heading into the second half of the season.
First up is the
Eight straight wins in all competitions. Nine straight wins at Old Trafford. United, no longer burdened with the baggage that came with having
Closing the round of weekend games is the north
Kane has netted four times in four games since returning from the World Cup and needs one goal to tie with the late
If Arsenal and City win, they’ll leave United and
If they lose, then the top five would suddenly be separated by eight points.
On current form, City is the team that should be most fearful.
Back-to-back wins over Chelsea last week, in the league then the FA Cup, seemed to put City back on track, but a loss to
City has dropped points in two of its last four league games — both at home, in a 2-1 loss to Brentford and a 1-1 draw with Everton — and, currently, does not look like the machine that can go on a long winning run to take control of a title race, as Guardiola’s teams have done in the past.
Worryingly, a frail-looking City didn’t even have a shot on target against
City midfielder
“This United side is probably stronger than ever, at least in the recent past,” Gundogan said, “so they are full of confidence, will play great football and we’ll need a much better performance than (against
No Man United manager has reached 20 victories at the club quicker than Ten Hag — he has achieved it in 27 games — but the recent winning run should be put into context given the opponents United has faced, including two lower-league teams in the cups and four of the current bottom six in the
City represents a massive step up in quality, though fourth-placed United has already beaten Arsenal,
Indeed, that remains Arsenal's only loss in the league in what has been the fifth-best start to a
Losing
Any dropped points by Arsenal would raise the stakes even further given its next game in the league is at home to United.
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