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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice reminded his teammates after Sunday’s Premier League defeat to title contenders Manchester City, “It’s not done.” And he was absolutely right. The title race is still alive, as City’s narrow win over Burnley on Wednesday highlighted. Pep Guardiola’s side may have moved to the top of the table with a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor, but only because of goals scored.

When Erling Haaland struck within five minutes, it seemed City were ready to open a huge gap over Arsenal in goal difference. They should have done so, having taken 28 shots with nine on target, yet they failed to convert their dominance into more goals.

Haaland grew visibly frustrated when asked repeatedly about City’s wastefulness after the match, insisting that securing three points was all that mattered on the night — and in the bigger picture, he wasn’t wrong.

Still, scoring just once against Burnley was a missed opportunity that might give Arsenal a psychological boost at what has been their lowest ebb of the season. The key question now is whether they have the courage to seize their own chance to create separation from City.

‘Trying to nick 1-0 wins’

Arsenal find themselves in a tough and frustrating position. The title race should have been wrapped up already; Mikel Arteta’s men were 10 points clear barely a month ago and were being discussed as potential quadruple winners. But back-to-back league losses, a Carabao Cup final defeat to City, and a shocking FA Cup quarter-final exit to Championship side Southampton have reignited doubts about their mental strength.

Arteta and his players are under intense pressure to prove they can win a major title and avoid what could go down as one of football’s most infamous collapses.

In a strange way, though, the precarious but recoverable position they are in might actually help them. As Wayne Rooney rightly pointed out, this Arsenal side has often been “trying to nick 1-0 wins” in the mould of George Graham’s old teams. But now, they have no choice but to attack with full intent.

Neutrals favour City

There are several reasons why neutrals haven’t warmed to Arteta’s side — their reliance on set-pieces, time-wasting, training-ground social media videos, and questionable use of concussion protocols among them. But a major factor is frustration.

Despite boasting an exciting and youthful squad, Arsenal often play a cautious and outdated style. Once famed for their fluid, attacking football, the Gunners have become a more defensive and risk-averse outfit under Arteta, as he prioritises control and discipline in pursuit of silverware.

This stylistic shift has disconnected them from many fans. In fact, some supporters would rather see Manchester City — serial winners accused of breaching over 115 Premier League financial regulations — lift the trophy yet again, simply because players like Rayan Cherki embody what they see as the true spirit of ‘The Beautiful Game.’

Shootout mentality

Now, Arsenal find themselves level on points with City, with just five games remaining — effectively turning the title race into a penalty shootout. The Gunners will take the first two “kicks” at home, facing Newcastle and Fulham at the Emirates Stadium.

Within a week, Arsenal have the opportunity to not only go six points clear before City’s next fixture but also improve their goal difference significantly. Newcastle are struggling, with only three wins from their last 12 league matches and just one clean sheet since January 18. Manager Eddie Howe is under enormous pressure ahead of Saturday’s trip to north London.

Fulham boss Marco Silva, meanwhile, is reportedly on Chelsea’s shortlist to replace Liam Rosenior, but his team’s form hasn’t been particularly strong either. The Cottagers sit 12th, only two spots and three points above Newcastle, and have defensive vulnerabilities, having conceded 46 goals — one more than relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest.

Whether Arsenal can beat both Newcastle and Fulham — and do so convincingly — remains an open question.

Grounds for optimism

Confidence has clearly taken a hit during Arsenal’s run of four losses in six across all competitions, with the nervy 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth raising particular concern.

Yet, while Roy Keane dismissed Micah Richards’ view that Arsenal could take positives from their Etihad defeat, Richards wasn’t entirely wrong. The Gunners showed more attacking intent than expected, and though their goal came from a Gigi Donnarumma mistake, they created enough second-half chances to have earned a draw.

In fact, Arsenal might have been too open in that game, leaving themselves exposed to counter-attacks — something few anticipated before kickoff. Most assumed that Arteta would set up defensively to secure a point, which even Guardiola admitted could have been enough to claim the title.

On the front foot

Arteta’s challenge now is to find the right balance against Newcastle. Arsenal don’t need to play recklessly — the Magpies still have dangerous counter-attackers like Anthony Gordon — but they must start aggressively and keep the pressure on throughout.

A week without a match should help key players like Rice and Martin Zubimendi recover after looking fatigued recently. The clash with Fulham, which falls between two potentially tough Champions League ties against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, could prove even trickier than the Newcastle game.

Still, Arsenal’s main problems at this stage appear more psychological than physical.

‘New Premier League’

Rice has said he doesn’t care about criticism of Arsenal’s style, but it’s something the team can’t ignore — it may cost them the title. Critics have long argued that Arsenal are overly cautious, especially in big matches. As Gary Neville noted back in August, Arteta often seems more focused on avoiding defeat than chasing victory.

Roy Keane has also observed that Arsenal try to control “the pace of the game with their set-pieces and playing out from the back.” That approach worked well for much of the campaign, but pragmatism can only take a team so far — especially one without proven title winners. So it’s little surprise that Arsenal are faltering again in the season’s critical phase.

History also favours City. Guardiola’s side have never failed to win the league after leading the table post-33 rounds. Relying on them to slip up would be riskier than allowing Arsenal’s players to express themselves freely.

Arteta himself said after the Etihad defeat that “a new Premier League” has begun — one that rewards attacking ambition rather than conservatism. The old mantra of ‘One-nil to the Arsenal’ won’t be enough anymore.

But if Arteta finally decides to release the handbrake completely, Arsenal can still regain momentum — and perhaps reclaim the top spot — in this thrilling title race.