The Premier League title race has taken another dramatic turn, with former England captain Wayne Rooney backing Arsenal to finish the job after another crucial weekend in the run-in. Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, Rooney said the Gunners look primed to go all the way and even suggested they could wrap it up by a comfortable five points.
For South African football fans following the English top flight closely, this is the kind of late-season twist that makes the Premier League such a global obsession. Arsenal’s latest result has intensified the pressure on Manchester City, and the debate is now centred on whether Mikel Arteta’s side can hold their nerve when every remaining match carries the weight of a title decider.
Rooney did not hedge his comments. He was clear that he believes Arsenal have the edge, pointing to the fixture list as a major factor in the final stretch. In his view, the Gunners are well placed to win every remaining game while City may stumble under the strain of a congested schedule.
“I think Arsenal will win it,” Rooney said. “The fixtures are more favourable. I think they will win every game and Man City will slip up.”
He added that Arsenal have been “fantastic” for most of the campaign and that their position at the top of the table has been built on consistency rather than hype. According to Rooney, City’s congested run-in could be the decisive detail that tips the balance in north London’s favour.
“I can see Arsenal being quite comfortable,” he said. “They have been fantastic and top of the league most of the season. City’s fixtures are all quite congested.”
That view, however, was not shared by former City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who offered a very different assessment of the title fight. Hart, a two-time Premier League winner with Manchester City in 2012 and 2014, argued that experience and depth still give Pep Guardiola’s side a major advantage.
Hart’s argument was rooted in the idea that City know exactly what it takes to win under pressure. He pointed to the strength of their core players and the mentality that has carried them through countless title chases over the years.
“I don’t care who Arsenal will lose to, I look at Man City and their spine is so long,” Hart said. “It is full of multiple winners like Gianluigi Donnarumma. I am talking Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland. That is the spine I want to be part of. I think they will do whatever needs to be done.”
The title debate also drew reaction from former Arsenal forward Paul Merson, who said the latest round of results could hardly have gone better for Arteta. Speaking to Sky Sports, Merson said the Gunners now find themselves in the kind of position every manager dreams of at this stage of the season.
“In his wildest dreams Arteta could not have asked for anything better,” Merson said.
He stressed that if Arsenal take maximum points from their next three league matches, City will be forced to produce a near-perfect finish just to stay in touch. That, he believes, is the kind of pressure that eventually catches up with chasing teams.
“If Arsenal win their next three Premier League matches, Man City will have to pull up trees,” he said. “They are always playing catch-up and that takes its toll in the end, knowing you have to win games just to stay in it.”
Merson’s conclusion was simple: the fixture list may be the biggest reason to back Arsenal, and if the two teams continue winning, the destination of the trophy could be decided by goal difference. That possibility alone underlines just how fine the margins are in this season’s race.
“I would pick Arsenal just because of the fixtures they have,” Merson added. “I expect both teams to win all their games and I think it will come down to goal difference.”
Premier League title race tightens as Arsenal and Man City brace for the final stretch
Another former England midfielder, Jamie Redknapp, also weighed in and struck a more cautious tone. While he admitted Arsenal have the benefit when it comes to the remaining schedule, he warned against treating the race as a done deal.
Redknapp said Arsenal may have the “big advantage” if the title does come down to goal difference, but insisted City remain more than capable of producing a ruthless end to the season. In his words, the champions can still “blow teams away” if they hit their stride at the right time.
“But we are all guessing,” Redknapp said. “Man City could blow teams away, anything could happen. I think Arsenal are favourites, but I don’t think they are 80% favourites.”
He also highlighted the workload factor, saying City’s demanding schedule could work in Arsenal’s favour. By contrast, Arteta may be able to manage his squad more carefully as the pressure builds week by week.
“For City, the games are coming thick and fast and Mikel can look after his players just that little bit more,” he said.
For Arsenal supporters, the growing optimism is understandable. The club has spent most of the campaign at the summit and, in many ways, has already proven it can sustain a title challenge over the long haul. The question now is whether they can finish with the same authority they have shown for much of the season.
For City, meanwhile, this is familiar territory. They have turned late-season pressure into silverware before, and that history is precisely why so many observers remain reluctant to rule them out. Even with Arsenal’s stronger run-in and the momentum of a strong season, the reigning champions still carry the aura of a side that rarely lets the trophy slip once they sense an opening.
As we have seen over the years, Premier League title races often turn on a single moment, a late goal, or one unexpected slip. That is why the next few fixtures matter so much. Arsenal may have the advantage on paper, but City’s pedigree means nothing will be handed over easily.
What is clear is that the Premier League title race is now entering its most compelling phase. Rooney believes Arsenal will seize the opportunity, Hart trusts City’s winning spine, and Merson and Redknapp both see a finish line that may well be decided by the narrowest of margins. For now, the race remains alive, tense and impossible to call with complete confidence.