why Manchester City is ahead of Arsenal?

Is history about to repeat itself? Leader since the 7th day, Arsenal has just ceded its Premier League leadership to Manchester City. Victorious by a goal to zero from Burnley this Wednesday evening, the Skyblues took the lead in the championship and seem to be well on their way to once again snatching the championship title from the Gunners.

This is a real curse for the Canonniers, already beaten to the post by these same Mancuniens in 2023 and 2024. However, nothing is yet decided since the two teams have the same number of points (70) and the same goal difference (+37) with five days remaining. The question now is: why did Pep Guardiola’s gang take the lead?

Three small goals difference that changes everything…

The reason is simple: if the number of points and the goal difference are equivalent then it is the number of goals scored which comes into account. And in this little game, it is Manchester City who are in front with three more goals scored (66 against 63). Arsenal, for their part, have a better difference with three fewer goals conceded (26 against 29).

The criteria are not in favor of Londoners. If they were to equal City’s number of goals while still having the same number of points as well as the same difference, then the principle of direct confrontations would come into play. Here again, it is the Citizens who would win, they who took four points out of six in this double confrontation (1-1 at the Emirates Stadium, 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium).

In other words, if Arsenal want to be champions, they will at all costs have to have either a greater number of points or a better goal difference or a greater number of goals scored. Otherwise, his nightmare will repeat itself again with Manchester City depriving him of the title for the third time in four years.