Mikel Arteta insisted the Premier League title race remains open after Arsenal lost 2-1 to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. The result cut Arsenal’s lead to three points, with City holding a game in hand, yet Opta’s supercomputer still gave Arsenal a 73% chance of finishing champions, compared with 27% for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Manchester City struck first after a bright Arsenal opening, when Rayan Cherki weaved into the area and finished past David Raya on 16 minutes. Arsenal replied almost immediately as Kai Havertz punished Gianluigi Donnarumma’s hesitation in possession, stealing the ball and scoring just 107 seconds after the opener.

Arteta rejected the idea that the balance had swung towards Manchester City, stressing there was no visible shift on the pitch. “I didn’t see a difference in momentum between them and us today, and that’s the biggest thing, Arteta told BBC Radio 5 Live. You can talk about momentum, but after you have to show it on the pitch, and I didn’t see it.”

The Arsenal manager focused on missed chances and fine margins, describing frustration rather than loss of belief. “The biggest disappointment is that we did a lot of good things during the game. They created some individual moments, and we created the biggest chances of the game, but we didn’t score. There was an element of luck, and hitting the post was unfortunate. It has to go your way, and it didn’t. We lost an opportunity in terms of the result. They have a game in hand; we have three points. Game on because it is a new Premier League.”

Recent trends highlight why Arsenal’s staff are weighing performance against results as the Premier League title race tightens after this Arsenal vs Manchester City clash. Arsenal had enjoyed a five-game unbeaten league run against City, with two wins and three draws, but that sequence ended alongside their position of greater comfort at the top.

The defeat formed part of a difficult spell for Arsenal, who have now lost back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since December 2023. Across all competitions, Arsenal have been beaten in four of the last six fixtures, drawing one and winning one, after losing only three of the first 49 matches of the campaign in all tournaments.

One of those setbacks came in the EFL Cup final against Manchester City last month, when Guardiola’s team started this recent run of Arsenal defeats. That loss, combined with this league reverse, means Arsenal’s previously consistent season has shifted into a test of resilience, with the Premier League title race pressure rising as City close in.

Arteta stressed the squad’s belief remains strong despite the sequence of defeats and the pressure of a 22-year wait for a Premier League crown. “100%. I said to the boys we have to look in the mirror and the team we played in the moment, the history they have, to come back from a goal down, Arteta added. There are a lot of things to take. The difference was in both boxes, that’s for sure.At the end, it’s the result we came to conquer. We did a lot of things right to get the game where we wanted. We had the best chances in the game, but we didn’t put them away, and that’s the reality.”

On the pitch, Arsenal created several clear opportunities after the break, reflecting the aggressive pressing praised by Martin Odegaard. Havertz saw a one-on-one saved by Donnarumma, while Eberechi Eze struck the left post with a powerful effort. Soon after that miss, Nico O’Reilly’s deflected cross found Erling Haaland, who finished clinically to give City a decisive second goal.

Odegaard mirrored Arteta’s view that performance levels stayed high, while finishing let Arsenal down in this Premier League title race meeting with Manchester City. “Disappointed not to win. Obviously, we wanted to get a result, and we were really up for it today. We played a good game, we pressed really well, Odegaard told Sky Sports. Especially in the second half, we looked dangerous, big moments in front of goal. Small margins to decide a game like this, and we weren’t sharp enough in front of goal, and that’s why we go home with nothing. That’s football at this level. It was always going to be like that. Very intense, very tough. Small margins. Frustrating, but a lot of good things in the game from us. Now it’s about looking forward to the next game to bounce back.”

Arsenal now prepare for a home Premier League match against Newcastle United on Saturday, aiming to respond quickly and protect their narrow lead over Manchester City. With City’s game in hand and momentum debated rather than accepted, Arsenal must convert performances into results to maintain control of a title race that remains finely balanced.