Arsenal walk into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United with their margin for error gone, knowing that any stumble at the Emirates could prove fatal to their title hopes.
Mikel Arteta’s side go into the weekend knowing that anything less than victory at the Emirates would hand the initiative straight back to Manchester City, who moved top of the table by the smallest of margins after Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Burnley.
City and Arsenal are level on 70 points and goal difference (37), with Pep Guardiola’s side ahead by only three goals scored, but the optics of the race have shifted once again.
Arsenal, who only recently held a commanding lead, are now chasing momentum as well as results.
A 2-1 defeat by City last weekend and their rivals’ relentless pursuit have stripped away any buffer, making Newcastle’s visit a must-win fixture.
Arteta insisted his side are “more convinced” than ever that they can hoist the league trophy.
“It’s a new league now,” Arteta said. “Everything is still to play for. We’re not going to stop and we’re going to go again, that’s for sure.”
City are not in league action this weekend as they are playing Southampton in an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, but will watch closely, confident that they can reproduce their superb late-season form of previous seasons.
At the bottom, with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley already relegated, the fight for survival is just as unforgiving.