If Arsenal Football Club fails to win the English Premier League this season, the opportunity may not come again. That's the prevailing sentiment as the Gunners enter a crucial phase of the 2025-26 campaign holding a significant advantage at the summit.
A Golden Opportunity for the Gunners
After finishing as runners-up in four consecutive seasons, Arsenal has been presented with multiple chances to pull away from the pack this year. While they have occasionally faltered, their primary rivals have consistently failed to capitalize. The most recent example was a goalless draw with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, a match where the home fans grew anxious as the Reds controlled large portions of the play. Despite dropping those two points, Arsenal's position actually strengthened because their closest pursuers also stumbled.
Manchester City, the perennial powerhouse, has drawn three consecutive matches, dropping six critical points. This leaves them precisely six points behind Arsenal. Similarly, Aston Villa, another surprise contender, has managed just four points from their last available nine, also sitting six points adrift of the top. Liverpool, in fourth place, finds themselves a distant 14 points behind, effectively removing them from the championship conversation.
Defensive Solidity Meets Attacking Concerns
Arsenal's path to the top has been built on an ironclad defense. They boast the best defensive record in the division, having conceded only 14 goals in 21 games. This resilience has compensated for occasional struggles in front of goal, as evidenced by the scoreless draw with Liverpool.
Their attacking output, while not explosive, has been shared across the squad. Forwards Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard lead the team with five goals each. They are supported by four other players who have each netted four times, demonstrating a balanced threat. This weekend, Arsenal faces a Nottingham Forest side that has scored a league-low 21 goals, presenting a prime opportunity for another clean sheet and three points.
Chaos Among the Challengers
While Arsenal enjoys relative stability, the landscape below them is marked by turmoil. The Manchester Derby this weekend highlights the disparity. City is in a rare slump, but Manchester United remains in a state of profound dysfunction. After another managerial change, interim boss Michael Carrick has taken over a squad recently eliminated from both domestic cups and not participating in European competition. Their season will consist of a mere 40 games, a modern-era low for the club, signaling a massive rebuilding project ahead.
Other clubs are experiencing dramatic shifts in fortune. Brentford and Newcastle are surging, both within two points of fourth-place Liverpool. Meanwhile, former darlings Crystal Palace and Tottenham are in steep declines, with Spurs winning just once in their last five outings. The crisis at Chelsea continues, with the expensively assembled squad languishing in eighth place under new manager Liam Rosenior, having not won a league match since mid-December.
As the season enters its second half, the pressure mounts. Arsenal's healthy margin for error is a luxury they have not enjoyed in previous campaigns. With their defense nearly impenetrable and their rivals embroiled in inconsistency and chaos, the Premier League trophy is, indeed, Arsenal's to lose. The coming months will reveal whether this squad can finally convert their potential into a long-awaited championship.
