By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester City moved ominously to the top of the Premier League on Wednesday and while Arsenal can snatch back top spot, for a few hours at least on Saturday, the momentum has shifted firmly in favour of the reigning champions.
Had Arsenal beaten City in the top-of-the-table clash they could have been heading into Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff at Aston Villa with the chance to move nine points clear.
Instead, they relinquished the leadership and are in desperate need of regaining some momentum.
City, who are at Nottingham Forest later on Saturday, showed in a 3-1 win at The Emirates that even when not firing on all cylinders they remain top dogs in England’s top flight.
While manager Pep Guardiola insists Arsenal are still the best team so far this season, pointing to the fact that they have the same amount of points (51) as City having played a game less, his team now has its destiny in its own hands.
“Now we are top of the league but they have one game in hand, it’s a long road,” Guardiola, who is chasing a fifth title in six seasons at City, said after the win at Arsenal.
Arsenal’s lunchtime kickoff at Villa gives them the opportunity to lay down a marker and move three points clear again. Mikel Arteta’s side appeared to have an iron grip on top spot a few weeks ago but a haul of one point from their last three games has dampened down talk of a first title since 2004.
Villa have suffered back-to-back defeats under former Arsenal manager Unai Emery for the first time since he took charge, but the Spaniard would take satisfaction from getting one over Arteta, the man who replaced him at Arsenal.
City beat Nottingham Forest 6-0 earlier in the season and while Steve Cooper has turned around Forest’s fortunes, it would be a huge surprise if they avoid defeat at the City Ground.
With so much of the focus on Arsenal and City, Manchester United have quietly moved themselves to within touching distance of the top two. They are only five points behind and could still turn it into a three-horse title race.
“They have just got to hang in there and hope that Arsenal and Man City aren’t quite right towards the end of the season, but I just think they aren’t quite ready yet,” former United defender Gary Neville told Sky Sports.
Newcastle United’s quest to finish in the top four and deliver Champions League football back to Tyneside has slowed down with Eddie Howe’s side stuck in a run of five draws from their last six Premier League games.
They host ninth-placed Liverpool on Saturday needing a victory to avoid being reeled in by the clubs below them, including unlikely top-four contenders Brighton and Hove Albion and Fulham. Sixth-placed Brighton are only six points behind Newcastle with a game in hand and host seventh placed Fulham, who have the same points tally from two more games, on Saturday.
The fight to avoid relegation continues with bottom club Southampton at Chelsea, whose manager Graham Potter is under the spotlight after only one win in their last seven league games.
Southampton, who sacked manager Nathan Jones on Sunday after only three months, have 15 points and are in danger of being cut adrift unless they find some form soon.
Bournemouth, in 19th place, travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers while third-from-bottom Everton host Leeds United who are just one point above them in 17th.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
