By Bonface Mulyungi
Manchester City beat Burnley 1-0 to officially take first place in the Premier League on Wednesday, April 22 – after months of chasing down a now-flailing Arsenal.
Man City and Arsenal are now level on 70 points and both teams have a +37 goal differential (the first tiebreaker), but City holds a 66-63 advantage in goals scored, the second tiebreaker.
Arsenal had led the league since October, with the club’s biggest advantage at nine points on multiple occasions – usually with City having a game in hand until Wednesday.
In last weekend’s head-to-head game that was billed as a title decider, Man City won 2-1 at the Etihad.
Arsenal has not won the Premier League since 2004, finishing in second place each of the previous three seasons: Manchester City ran down the Gunners late in 2022-23; City won out on the final day of the 2023-24 season; and then Liverpool ran away with the league last year. No team in English history has finished in second four years in a row.
Arsenal faces a tough Premier League match this weekend against Newcastle United and could re-apply the pressure with a win – while Manchester City plays in the FA Cup semifinals.
Premier League standings
Through April 22: 33 of 38 matches played
- Manchester City: 70 points, +37 goal differential, 66 goals scored
- Arsenal: 70 points, +37 GD, 63 goals
- Manchester United : 58 points, +13 GD
- Aston Villa: 58 points, +6 GD
- Liverpool:Â 55 points
- Brighton: 50 points
Manchester City remaining Premier League fixtures
- May 4 at Everton
- May 9 vs. Brentford
- May 17 at Bournemouth
- May 24 vs. Aston Villa
- TBD vs. Crystal Palace
Arsenal remaining fixtures
- April 25 vs. Newcastle United
- May 2 vs. Fulham
- May 10 at West Ham
- May 17 vs. Burnley
- May 24 at Crystal Palace
Premier League tiebreakersIf teams are even on points, the tiebreakers are:Goal difference (Manchester City +37, Arsenal +37)Goals scored (Manchester City 66, Arsenal 63)Team who collected more points head-to-head (Manchester City 4, Arsenal 1)Away goals scored in head-to-head games.
Who will win the Premier League this season? Let’s wait and see.
