Arsenal strengthened its position at the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 victory over Leeds United, while rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points in their respective matches. City's 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur and Villa's 1-0 home loss to Brentford have restored Arsenal's buffer, easing recent tensions among supporters. With 14 games remaining, the Gunners now appear favorites to end their title drought.
The Premier League title race took a decisive turn this weekend, benefiting Arsenal after a challenging period that included a home defeat to Manchester United. Mikel Arteta's side responded with a convincing 4-0 win at Elland Road against Leeds United, capitalizing on their opponents' poor away form.
Manchester City, trailing by four points entering the weekend, squandered a 2-0 halftime lead in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium amid persistent rain. Antoine Semenyo had put City ahead, but Spurs mounted a comeback after halftime, switching from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Dominic Solanke's stunning scorpion kick in the 70th minute leveled the score, earning Tottenham a deserved point through renewed intensity and long balls. Pep Guardiola acknowledged the shift in momentum, stating, "It happens in the Premier League today, sometimes you can’t control it." He added, "The momentum is difficult to control whatever happens here in England." Semenyo remained optimistic, saying, "It is a setback but we are still there... anything can happen."
This marked the first time since April 2018 that City failed to win after leading by two or more goals at halftime. Notably, City have conceded 17 second-half goals this season—nearly three times their first-half tally—and have lost nine second halves, matching struggling sides like Burnley.
Earlier, Aston Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to 10-man Brentford, their second consecutive loss at Villa Park. Despite Kevin Schade's first-half red card, Brentford's deep defensive block frustrated Villa, who missed injured midfielders John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Youri Tielemans. Douglas Luiz dominated midfield, and Tammy Abraham had a goal disallowed, but Unai Emery's team lacked penetration. This result, mirroring Brentford's August victory, leaves Villa seven points behind Arsenal and highlights their challenges against compact defenses.
Arsenal's resolve has positioned them six points clear with 14 matches left. Upcoming fixtures offer a chance to extend the lead: Arsenal host struggling Sunderland, while City face Liverpool at Anfield. As chief football writer Phil McNulty noted, if Arsenal falter now, the blame will be theirs alone, given rivals' inconsistencies.
