Premier League title race: Analysing Manchester City and Arsenal's final fixtures as season reaches exciting conclusion
Updated 26/04/2026 at 09:32 GMT+1
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Manchester City and Arsenal are neck-and-neck in the Premier League title race with a handful of games to play after Mikel Arteta's side beat Newcastle United to keep their hopes alive.
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The momentum still appears to be in City's favour following their 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad last Sunday, a game that had been built up as a potential title decider, though the Gunners responded with a tense 1-0 victory over Newcastle United while City were in FA Cup semi-final action.
But nothing has been confirmed yet, and both sides have some difficult fixtures remaining.
TNT Sports have looked at each team's remaining matches to get an idea of where the Premier League could be won and lost.
May 2: Arsenal v Fulham
Arsenal are in action first on Saturday, at home again to mid-table Fulham.
The Cottagers have been inconsistent of late but Marco Silva's side are capable of causing problems.
Equally, they have a worse away record than Newcastle, with 16 points from 17 games, so this will be another match Arsenal should win.
It does, however, come a few days after the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid in Spain, which could prove draining for The Gunners.
If they do put together back-to-back victories, Arsenal will go six points clear and put some pressure on City, whose next Premier League game is a tricky one.
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May 4: Everton v Manchester City
A trip to Everton in the run-in is never desirable. While Hill Dickinson Stadium might not be quite as imposing as Goodison Park, a David Moyes Everton team rarely go down without a fight.
Of City's remaining fixtures, this looks among the most difficult. Everton beat Chelsea 3-0 last month, after frustrating Arsenal for 89 minutes at The Emirates. They very nearly earned a 1-1 draw in the Merseyside derby, too, until Virgil van Dijk's 100th-minute header.
This could be a challenge for City, then, particularly if Arsenal have won their previous two games.
May 9: Manchester City v Brentford
Guardiola may be having flashbacks to November 2022, when an Ivan Toney-inspired Brentford left the Etihad with a remarkable 2-1 win.
Toney no longer leads the line for The Bees but the prolific Igor Thiago does. The Brazilian, with 21 league goals in 2025/26, is in competition with Erling Haaland for the Golden Boot and Arsenal will hope the former is on form.
Brentford have had another excellent season, despite losing Thomas Frank, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa last summer. Keith Andrews has stepped up to the head coach role impressively and European football is still a possibility.
Not an easy one, then, for City, but they could well have too much for Brentford.
May 10: West Ham v Arsenal
After their second leg against Atletico, Arsenal make the short trip across London to face relegation-threatened West Ham United.
The Hammers have picked up under Nuno Espirito Santo and have not lost at home in the Premier League since a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest in January.
In the weeks since, West Ham have held both Manchester United and Manchester City to 1-1 draws at the London Stadium, and beat Everton with a late Callum Wilson goal last time out.
The home fans will certainly be up for the visit of Arsenal, with the opportunity to boost their survival hopes and damage The Gunners' title bid.
May 17: Bournemouth v Manchester City
Bournemouth could, by the end of the season, have had a huge say on the outcome of the title race.
Andoni Iraola's side won 2-1 at The Emirates earlier this month to open the door for City, but now Guardiola and his players must face one of the division's form teams.
The Cherries are currently on a 14-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, the best across Europe's top five leagues. A caveat is that they have drawn eight of those matches.
But it is evidence that they are very hard to beat. City will have to be at their best to come away with three points from the Vitality Stadium.
Should City reach the FA Cup final, which will take place on May 16, this match would be rearranged.
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Highlights: Brilliant Bournemouth stun Arsenal as Gunners dealt title blow
Video credit: TNT Sports
May 17: Arsenal v Burnley
In theory, the most straightforward of Arsenal's remaining fixtures. Burnley are relegated and now playing to avoid finishing bottom.
Scott Parker's side have lost 12 of their 17 away games, conceding 42 goals in the process.
It should be a routine win for Arsenal; anything other than that would suggest their title bid is faltering.
TBC: Manchester City v Crystal Palace
City's game in hand, because of March's Carabao Cup final, will be against Crystal Palace. No date for the fixture has been confirmed yet but it may well be played in the week of May 20.
Palace are very much focused on the UEFA Conference League campaign, with a semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk to come.
It could be a kind fixture for City, then, even if they have been beaten unexpectedly by The Eagles at the Etihad in recent history.
Palace got a 2-2 draw there in December 2023, won 2-0 in October 2021 thanks to goals from Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher, and, perhaps most memorably, left with a 3-2 victory in December 2018 when Andros Towsend scored a stunning volley.
Arsenal will hope for something similar this time.
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Highlights: Palace hold off Fiorentina to march into semis
Video credit: TNT Sports
May 24: Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Onto the final day and Arsenal finish with a trip to Selhurst Park.
It will be Oliver Glasner's last Premier League game in charge of Palace, and he will want to end on a high.
Much will depend on whether The Eagles reach the Conference League final, scheduled for May 27 in Leipzig. If they do, then this match will certainly not be a priority and that could benefit Arsenal.
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May 24: Manchester City v Aston Villa
City have the advantage of a home game on the final day of the season, albeit a potentially tricky one against Unai Emery's Aston Villa.
It is likely Villa will have secured a top five spot and Champions League qualification, so the pressure will be off for the visitors.
Like Palace, Villa have their eyes on a European final. If they beat Nottingham Forest in the UEFA Europa League semi-final, they will face either Braga or Freiburg on May 20 in Istanbul for the trophy.
And the exertions of a Europa League final - including the travel to and from Turkey - could have a significant impact on the final Premier League game.
City, of course, have experience of winning the title on the final day at the Etihad, and there will be no panic from Guardiola's side if a win over Villa is the requirement.
But, if things go as expected, we could be set for one of the most exciting conclusions to a Premier League title race.
Who will win the Premier League title?
We've totalled up your votes for each result, and you've decided the Premier League champions will be... decided on goal difference!
Man City just shade it from there, with 54% of TNT Sports readers predicting they will lift the trophy once again.
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