Danny Murphy says £51m star will decide Arsenal vs Man City title race and predicts winners | OneFootball

Danny Murphy believes that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will miss out on the Premier League title this season, with the former Liverpool midfielder backing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to be decisive in the race for the championship.

Arsenal are at the top of the Premier League table at the moment with 70 points from 33 matches, just three points ahead of second-placed Man City.

Man City have a game in hand, which is against Burnley away from home at Turf Moor on Wednesday evening.

With Burnley second from bottom in the Premier League table and having won just four league games all season, Man City are expected to ease to a comfortable win against the Clarets.

The 2025/26 Premier League title race could come to goal difference, with Arsenal and Man City having similar records.

Arsenal have scored 63 goals and conceded 26 goals in 33 Premier League matches, while Man City have found the back of the net 65 times and have shipped in 29 goals in 32 league fixtures.

Mikel Arteta’s side have a superior goal difference, but that could change if Man City hammer Burnley on Wednesday.

Former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Danny Murphy has backed both Arsenal and Man City to win their final Premier League games of the season.

The talkSPORT pundit believes that Man City will win the title on goal difference because of Erling Haaland.

The Norway international striker, who cost Man City £51.2million when he joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022, has been on fire this season, scoring 23 goals in 31 Premier League games for the Cityzens.

Erling Haaland will decide Arsenal vs Man City title race

Murphy said on talkSPORT (10:58am, April 22, 2026): “There is a chance, there is a chance, that it could actually be a blessing.

“What I mean by that is, now that they have got to win all their games, it’s goal difference, right?

“Let’s say they both win their games.

“So, if Arsenal drop in second on goal difference, which is likely tonight, they then have a mindset where it’s like, they don’t just have to win, they have to score.

“Because the Arsenal we saw at the beginning of the season, you know, when they beat Bayern, when they beat Atletico, when they were just rolling over teams, playing with freedom, no fear, they can score goals, they can beat teams well.

“It’s just that at the minute, the last month or so, this caution, this pragmatism, around their plays.

Presenter Jim White asked: “Do you think Arsenal will win their remaining games?”

Murphy responded: “I think they will win all their games.”

White then asked: “Do you think City will win all their remaining games?”

Murphy replied: “Yeah.”

White probed: “So, the question to you is: can Arsenal outscore City?”

Murphy said: “I think City will win on goals because they have got Haaland.”