Arsenal dropping points in successive Premier League games is not in the script for the Gunners in search of a first title in 22 years, failing to take advantage of a visit to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers that would have increased their lead over Manchester City to seven points.
Arsenal’s progression to the Carabao Cup forced the rearrangement of their trip to Molineux, and instead of the contest being preserved for the end of the season, the league leaders were given the chance to get more points on the board in the title race with City closing in.
The frustrating 2–2 draw means their buffer over the Cityzens is five points, having now played a game more, going into a busy period before the March international break.
Despite Arsenal’s advantage, more twists and turns are inevitable as the Gunners aim to end their drought, especially with City having the chance to exploit a tasty run of fixtures in coming weeks.
Here’s how the upcoming schedules of the Premier League’s top two compare.
Arsenal, Man City’s Next Five Premier League Games
|
Arsenal (58 points) |
Man City (53 points) |
|---|---|
|
Tottenham (A) – Feb. 22 |
Newcastle (H) – Feb. 21 |
|
Chelsea (H) – Mar. 1 |
Leeds (A) – Feb. 28 |
|
Brighton (A) – Mar. 4 |
Nott’m Forest (H) – Mar. 4 |
|
Everton (H) – Mar. 15 |
West Ham (A) – Mar. 14 |
|
Bournemouth (H) – Apr. 11 |
Chelsea (A) – Apr. 11 |
Arsenal are on the road for the third Premier League game running this weekend, although the shortest trip in the calendar beckons for Arteta’s men. They say form goes out of the window on derby day, but it’d be an almighty upset if Igor Tudor’s Tottenham Hotspur take points off the Gunners on Sunday afternoon.
The ’new manager bounce’ phenomenon can be powerful, mind.
The north London derby concludes their February slate, and Chelsea will visit the Emirates Stadium to kick off March. The Blues were recently beaten over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-finals to perpetuate their wretched record in this fixture over the past few years.
Arsenal won’t have much time to recover for their trip to a slumping Brighton & Hove Albion on Mar. 4, but 11 days separate that game and Everton’s visit the Sunday before the Carabao Cup final. A day out at Wembley precedes the March international break, so they’ll have to wait almost a month to get more points on the board. Bournemouth travel to north London on Apr. 11.
Arsenal are gunning for everything this season. pic.twitter.com/JVI15KVwGy
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) February 15, 2026
Pep Guardiola will know that the outcome of the Carabao Cup final could have a bearing on the title race, but the dynamic at the summit may be altered drastically by the time that game rolls around.
Manchester City will be chasing maximum points from their next four games. Newcastle United are up next, and they have a diabolical record at the Etihad Stadium, while Leeds United and Nottingham Forest are fighting against relegation but haven’t quite reached desperation mode yet.
Forest are close to it and have turned to Vitor Pereira to succeed Sean Dyche.
City then travel to West Ham United, another struggler, on Mar. 14. Their clash with Crystal Palace could be rescheduled for just after the final at Wembley, but as it stands, their next Premier League game after West Ham is another trip to the capital on Apr. 11, where Chelsea await.
