Manchester City smelling blood as Arsenal suffer fresh title setback against Wolves | OneFootball

Manchester City have been handed another lifeline in the title race after Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against Wolves at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Gunners have taken their foot off the gas in recent weeks and allowed Manchester City claw their way back into the conversation for Premier League glory, again squandering a lead to only take a point against Wolves.

City are five points adrift of the north Londoners ahead of Sunday night’s meeting with Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, with Mikel Arteta and co entering a must-win derby against Tottenham.

Arsenal have allowed City – who made a sluggish start to 2026 underpinned by a consecutive trio of draws against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton in their first three league games of the calendar year – to keep their hopes of a fifth league title in six seasons alive.

Pep Guardiola and co have turned the tide after a poor January, having won four games on the bounce and avoided defeat in seven games in all competitions as they vie for silverware on four fronts in the second half of the season.

The Blues gave themselves a renewed lease of life in the title race after completing a thrilling, late comeback to run out 2-1 winners over Liverpool at Anfield a few weeks ago – a result that completed a first Premier League double for City over the Reds in 89 years.

It remains to be seen whether a Manchester City side who are still at a nascent stage of their transition under director of football Hugo Viana have the fuel to sustain a genuine title challenge in what remains of the season.

City have been far from their best in recent months but the last few weeks signal that the ship is turning at the Etihad Stadium and buoyed by a monumental result at Anfield, the Blues may just be able to put a winning run together to usurp Arsenal once again.

Not even the most optimistic Manchester City fans will be expecting their side to win all of their remaining 12 Premier League games, but it is worth mentioning that the Blues have a much favourable run of outstanding fixtures between now and the end of the season.

City have already faced Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool home and away this season and after Arsenal’s latest slip-up against Wolves, Guardiola and co have destiny in their hands if they can build on their recent purple patch and put the Gunners to the sword.

Guardiola and the Manchester City dressing room will be smelling blood as they witness Arsenal faltering week-in, week-out and there is more than enough title-winning experience in the new-look first-team squad at the Etihad Stadium to give it a real push in the title race.

The jury remains out on whether City can fulfil their aspirations of winning silverware on several fronts, with the Blues also facing Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22, having also progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup and the Round of 16 stage of the UEFA Champions League.