‘ABOMINATION!’ Will Arsenal win the Premier League after Man City slip in title race? 👀 | ESPN FC

0:00 Manchester City three.

0:02 Let's just confirm what that means for the title runin.

0:05 It's now in Arsenal's hands.

0:07 If they win their remaining three games,

0:09 it doesn't matter what Manchester City do.

0:12 Arsenal will be crowned champions of the Premier

0:15 League as you welcome in Mario Malcott joins us.

0:18 And never have I been happier to see Naom on the show.

0:23 How you feeling, boy?

0:26 I feel I feel great, Dan.

0:28 I feel great.

0:29 There's nothing to worry about.

0:30 It's been a great weekend of football.

0:32 You know, Arsenal City going toe-to-toe.

0:34 City obviously were great in that second half as the stats would show.

0:37 But yeah, genuinely Dan, that's um I didn't see that coming.

0:41 I know you mentioned at the start that say the first half of City and Everton.

0:44 It wasn't a great first half,

0:45 but City did feel like they're in control when it went 1 nil.

0:48 I think there were tons of people thought that's probably going

0:49 to be the way that the game will continue into that second half.

0:52 But those mistakes from those experienced players

0:53 have helped City get to this point.

0:55 You can't really legislate for that.

0:57 And then when it goes 3-1, I'm thinking, "Oh my god,

0:59 I'm going to be on TV with Dan Thomas in 20 minutes.

1:01 I want nothing to do with this." However,

1:05 you know, they've come and made it 3-3.

1:06 Two great finishes from Jeremy Doku.

1:09 You know, huge credit to him.

1:10 And as you said, it's in Arsenal's hands.

1:11 And Arsenal, I'm sure they'll be absolutely delighted

1:13 with that because they know they're so so close

1:15 to regaining that to getting that title for the first

1:17 time in such a long period of time.

1:18 But for City, that goal from Dou,

1:22 but right now it feels like it's the hope that kills you.

1:25 So, I'm a little bit down, but again,

1:27 great goals from Do, so I'll celebrate that at least.

1:30 How the heck did this happen?

1:32 Uh, Manchester City stopped playing.

1:34 You know, that that little edge they had

1:37 in the first half disappeared in the second

1:39 half and and I think we're all we're all pretty much thinking the same thing.

1:44 At 1 nil, this game was done.

1:46 I mean, we actually showed an opportunity for Everton, but that was it.

1:50 up until the equalizer, they looked as though they could play all day,

1:55 all night, all week, and not even get close to creating a chance.

1:59 And I think City, it seems like they fell into that trap of we're ahead.

2:04 We'll just go safe.

2:05 We won't we won't try and overdo it.

2:07 And they just they just lost the edge.

2:09 And then the mistakes come.

2:11 All of a sudden, two quick goals, then it's three.

2:14 And then they liven up.

2:15 All of a sudden, they wake up.

2:17 So

2:19 yeah, I think this is more to do with Manchester City than Everton really.

2:22 City just I think felt 1 nil, we're safe,

2:25 let's just see it out and all of a sudden it it it went horribly wrong.

2:29 They got what they deserved, didn't they?

2:31 In the end, yes, I'm I'm I'm with Stevie in that.

2:34 Well, this game changed entirely on that totally uncharacteristic gay mistake.

2:40 Before that, while we could debate how many

2:43 saves Jean Pigford had to save and whatnot,

2:45 there was no question that Cherokee was bossing the game.

2:48 Smeno Douko just absolutely bossing and it felt

2:51 like while again Jordan Pigford wasn't being overly tested.

2:56 It was only a matter of time.

2:57 Then all of a sudden the mistake all of a sudden

3:00 City at the back just come apart at the seams.

3:04 But at the same time,

3:05 nobody higher up the park was able to get control of the ball,

3:09 start to dictate the pace again,

3:11 maybe get some of that momentum back into City's favor that we'd seen

3:14 for at least the first half and going on to an hour into this game.

3:20 And and City started to look very nervy all over

3:24 the park and and then Everton just played their role.

3:28 I've I've I've been both sides of this coin and and for for Everton at home,

3:33 you just don't want people coming into your park and celebrating.

3:36 You you your whole mindset is we're not going to be we we are going

3:39 to be party poopers here and and they

3:42 played that rule perfectly right to the end.

3:45 Took the chances as as as they came and saw it

3:48 well saw it out in terms of not losing the game.

3:51 This is why we love sports, Mario.

3:55 Yeah.

3:55 You know, I think this was the game that we all wanted to see.

3:58 I think um you know, also because of the battle because I felt like,

4:02 you know, this was City's time and they were going to catch up.

4:05 But um I don't want to jump on any other game,

4:08 but one thing I have to say uh the hunger that Arsenal

4:12 showed me in the first half was different than I saw at City.

4:15 Now, you know, like what what Shaka said, they you know,

4:19 when you when you're in a game like

4:20 this, Everton is a team and it's built like that.

4:23 David Moyes always builds a team that we stay alive no matter what.

4:27 And that is exactly what City had to kill off from them.

4:31 They should have taken that away because after they scored the one nil,

4:35 they should have gone all the way and scored another one and just

4:38 keep on pressing also because you got to think about the goal.

4:40 Yeah.

4:41 Because if they if both teams are having the same points,

4:44 we're going to look at the goaly.

4:45 So, you got to go after that too.

4:47 And I felt sometimes there were moments where

4:49 they were like they they had the opportunity

4:50 to go all the way and then every time there was a moment where we all

4:54 were like kind of like oh something's going

4:56 to happen because Don Ruma had to come

4:58 in action and he was great except

5:00 from the moment when Gabe passed the ball back.

5:03 It was almost like I'd done so much I cannot do this

5:06 and you can't even cry about the schedule

5:08 which obviously was going to be the excuse

5:10 later on in the run in Nen because they had a lovely rest for this game.

5:15 Listen Dad, don't cry.

5:16 do not cry about football.

5:17 Don't do that.

5:18 Um, but yeah, it's a fair point.

5:19 I think the players had some time off after their last game,

5:22 so they should have been pre prepared and fresh.

5:24 And to be honest, the way the first half started,

5:25 they did seem to be in that sort of vein.

5:27 But that second half wows users.

5:29 I think for definitely the second half of the season,

5:31 there were real questions that being asked about City,

5:34 but in their sort of rise to right back in in the mix again with Arsenal.

5:37 I thought maybe some of that had been dispelled,

5:39 but those stats, you know, they speak for themselves.

5:42 like uh Everton have an xG of 2.77 I think it was

5:46 in a game against the sad that's trying to win the Premier League.

5:48 Like that's absolutely unacceptable.

5:50 So yeah, the the schedule the tit like it's not going to get any easier.

5:53 Obviously they've got an FA Cup final coming up as well.

5:56 But you know it's out their hands and they're just going

5:57 to be watching Arsenal every single week now hoping that you know maybe

6:00 magic can happen for them but if it's to happen they have

6:02 to play a lot better than it did in that last 45 minutes.

6:05 Is it too lazy just to say it was complacency N?

6:10 Um yeah I think so.

6:11 I think so because like the pass back from Gay, that's not like complacency.

6:15 That's just that's just a really bad error.

6:17 Something that he's not really been, you know, cable for since he's joined City.

6:20 I think he's been great overall.

6:22 And then some of the miscommunication and things like that.

6:25 Like it's just I don't know.

6:27 It's just it's weird.

6:28 It's not really who they are as a team.

6:30 Like at times maybe they've looked weak defensively throughout the season,

6:33 but they've still got one of the best defensive records in the league.

6:35 But Ghee and Kuznov who you know have been a foundation

6:38 of City in recent weeks to get them back up the table.

6:40 You same for Nunes and Ratley.

6:42 It just today just wasn't that day.

6:44 And you know in some ways I'll give credit to Everton because the way they were

6:46 in the first half they couldn't continue that way

6:48 in the second and they found some energy.

6:50 They were really aggressive like O'Brien was going up against Do you

6:53 know they were trying to win as many battles they could be strong

6:55 and aggressive as they could in the way that Everton should do

6:58 in the way that they would do you know in normal circumstances but from City.

7:01 And I don't know, maybe me as a former player,

7:03 I'm always very reluctant to use the word

7:05 complacency because in the minds of most players,

7:08 I don't think many of them do get up to that, especially

7:10 aside in City who's been so successful in the last decade or so.

7:16 How do you deal with Gaye after this?

7:19 Leave him alone.

7:19 That's what you'd want.

7:20 Leave him alone.

7:21 Yeah, he's made a mistake.

7:22 He's made one he's made one mistake since he signed for them.

7:25 He's been fantastic.

7:26 So, no, you you leave him alone.

7:29 Yeah.

7:29 Do you do exactly what happened soon as the ball went in the back of the net?

7:32 Somebody ran over to him, gave him a slap, said, "Come on, let's go." That's it.

7:38 Done.

7:37 How is it an advantage for anybody,

7:40 never mind City to get an advantage

7:43 from somebody being offside and then Everton take advantage.

7:47 They 100% Barry takes advantage of being offside.

7:53 That in itself is completely and utterly wrong.

7:56 And that should have been given offside in my opinion.

7:59 And if people say that the I don't know the insides and outsides of the rules,

8:03 let me tell you that.

8:04 But if somebody gains an advantage and scores

8:07 a goal from being offside, it's wrong.

8:10 As we said, the rule obviously the law

8:12 is because he deliberately played that ball

8:15 that resets everything and then we go and that's why in fact the goal stands.

8:19 I I I will say I I agree with Stevie,

8:21 but we've had this we've had this very conversation

8:23 for I I want to think four maybe five years.

8:27 And while we may disagree with the law,

8:29 how it's written, it has consistently been applied this way.

8:34 This how how that well the the goal was given that's that's nothing new at all.

8:40 And again, as players, if you ask one thing of referees, it's consistency.

8:45 Michael Oliver applied the law with consistency here.

8:49 Mario, you brought it up.

8:50 Why didn't we see that start from City that we saw from Arsenal?

8:54 Why didn't they come out flying flying from the traps?

8:56 3-0 up.

8:57 Get it done and there you go and move on.

9:01 City started and they were in control and it took Everton about what is

9:04 it 20 minutes or something for them to get one of the first attacks.

9:07 So that was kind of like how City felt like you know we in control.

9:11 We really the game set up properly and it was like the two

9:15 wingers they knew that that was the outlet you understand especially Douku.

9:19 And one of the good things that I like

9:20 about DK especially now because there was a a point

9:23 you understand when he was in Belgium when

9:25 he was working with Jeremy he heard he kept

9:28 on saying to him look the speed is great

9:30 but if you don't have the vision you have nothing

9:32 you know you just have speed and you just

9:34 keep on running running but now look at the attributes

9:37 that he adds to his game he's got

9:38 scoring goals and both sides you understand left right

9:41 I mean I think Steve you mentioned that but one of the key things is for me is

9:45 that when you when you play a game like

9:47 that you have to Make sure you start the game

9:50 and you press and you fight and you make

9:54 them suffer and I don't think City did that.

9:58 Yeah.

9:58 By keeping the ball.

9:59 Yeah.

9:59 But we know that we can they can do that.

10:01 But it will had to be moments as well.

10:03 They had to make them really like don't even give them a chance.

10:06 And I think they gave them too much time and too much belief.

10:09 And the belief is one of the key things because I've been

10:12 in a team at that situation playing against top teams and the other

10:16 way around of course but playing against top teams one of the key

10:19 things we always had at a smaller team playing against a top

10:22 team we got to stay alive guys no matter what the score

10:25 is and that's exactly how Everton started the game look how how

10:30 far they were pushed back I think they didn't have even position

10:32 whether the possession game was like 65% I think it was for City

10:36 and then Everton just kept on going and I

10:38 was like if you keep on going like that.

10:40 I was like, "This game is becomes really boring." Next thing you know,

10:43 boom, they get the first goal.

10:45 I would I would love to

10:46 then it gets 1-1 and it's a whole totally different thing.

10:48 Sorry, M.

10:49 I would love to been in the dressing room

10:50 and the last five minutes before they left the dressing room,

10:54 what what Guadol and his coaching staff

10:57 were like because the only thing that was

11:00 going to catch City in this game against this team was not having that edge.

11:06 Yeah.

11:06 You know, I I don't think they were complacent,

11:09 but that edge wasn't there in the second half.

11:11 And that to me is down to them leaving the dressing room.

11:14 If I'm their manager, the last thing I'm saying to them is one up.

11:20 We have to go and get the the the next one

11:22 and we cannot we cannot just sit on this lead against this team.

11:27 But if you look maybe at the evidence leading up to this nan there were

11:31 signs obviously struggled against Burnley against Southampton

11:35 knocked out by Real Madrid in the Champions.

11:37 You know they haven't as much as excited as we got about the run they've

11:40 been on in the title race they haven't

11:42 been at their scintillating base best of late.

11:47 Yeah in some ways I think that's fair.

11:49 I think it's a bit of a reach to say they struggled against Burnley.

11:51 You could say maybe they struggled to convert their chances

11:53 but they didn't struggle in the game per se.

11:55 And I think um Stevie is making a good point,

11:57 but it's like it's like half the story in some ways because I think Stevie

12:00 as a coach would understand the message he needs

12:02 to give to his players from a City perspective,

12:04 but what message would a very experienced David

12:06 Moyes be giving to his Everton players as well?

12:08 Cuz he knows that they didn't play up to the standards

12:10 that you know he expects of them in that first half.

12:13 So they're always like with me when I watch these games

12:15 if a team in particular is poor in one half, I almost expect them to get better.

12:19 And I think I'm with Steve like since they did lose their edge as such

12:22 in the second half but Everton were always going

12:24 to get better and them compared to like Fulham

12:27 I think it's two completely different tasks

12:28 in my opinion because Fulham themselves they're like a good

12:31 footballing side but I think to a man

12:33 in terms of like just generally battling I think

12:35 Arsenal probably have the edge of them throughout

12:37 most positions in the pitch not least of all

12:39 when they're playing at home in front

12:40 of their own fans whereas as City was struggling

12:42 today it was getting louder and louder and louder

12:44 in that stadium and I think for some

12:46 of those players you know rightly or wrongly

12:48 that start to affect the way that they played.

12:50 But I think as players, former players,

12:52 they've all been titles which we've played in games when like the the noise

12:57 is so loud that it does feel not overwhelming because you want to manage that.

13:01 You want to be in those moments cuz it means that it matters.

13:04 But that's a very different game to Fulham going

13:05 to the Emirates because if they were playing well,

13:07 the noise would never be that great anyway.

13:09 But credit to Arsenal.

13:10 Obviously, they were brilliant.

13:11 But sitting in that second half with all your respect for about 20 minutes,

13:14 it was an abomination.

13:16 Here we go then.

13:17 Let's remind you of the title runin

13:19 and as I mentioned Arsenal win their remaining three matches.

13:23 It doesn't matter what Manchester City do because

13:25 Arteta's side will be crowned champions at West Ham.

13:30 Home against Burnley.

13:31 Final day of the season away against Crystal Palace.

13:34 City have got Brenford, they've got Palace,

13:36 they've got Bournemouth and they've got Aston Villa.

13:43 Nam.

13:46 Hello.

13:48 Guess the question.

13:49 Nam, give me give me some uh give me some uh percentages, mate.

13:56 A percentage chance of City winning the Premier League title right now.

14:01 Uh obviously, let's let's be a prisoner of the moment and say that Arsenal

14:04 looked exceptional in that first half the other day and after City's real today,

14:08 the vibes will be high.

14:10 You know, I do fancy them to win their last three games,

14:12 especially given the fact, you know, it's against West Ham.

14:15 Uh it's against Burnley and that's Burnley at home

14:17 as well and then that last game against Crystal Palace.

14:20 There's a very good chance Crystal Palace might be thinking about the Conference

14:22 League final which will be coming in three or four days later.

14:25 So I do heavily like Arsenal's chances and you know if that's to be

14:29 the case that they win all three then you know they're very deserving of it.

14:31 And I think from a city perspective,

14:32 I think they obviously can win the games that they have left,

14:34 especially because three of the four games are at home,

14:38 but it's weird that they've got more of like a fixture pileup coming up and some

14:42 of those games are against higher rank size

14:44 than we see from the Arsenal side of things.

14:45 So, City's chances right now,

14:48 probably going to put it not zero, but I'll say 10%.

14:52 10% 90% then for Arsenal to win the title.

14:55 Higher or lower?

15:00 I think I think what I seen over the weekend, right?

15:04 Because you know what the key thing is with Arsenal,

15:06 it's always they give us mixed feelings as City,

15:09 you know, like I felt like City, you you guys are ready now.

15:11 You're going to do it.

15:12 And then I look at this game and I look at the Arsenal game,

15:16 I'm going like if Arsenal plays like the way I saw them play this weekend,

15:21 they win it.

15:22 And so percentage wise, yeah, I mean I think they're still close.

15:26 You know what I'm saying?

15:27 But they of course are leading now.

15:29 What is it?

15:29 Even if I give them 5% more is because Arsenal is now in the running 85.

15:34 The one that's up front.

15:37 Yeah.

15:37 You know, like you you you got to give it to them.

15:39 If you're running it, you got to give it to them.

15:43 And we need them 9010.

15:46 Well, there's two things here.

15:48 There's no questions only going to win two of these three games.

15:56 Okay.

15:56 Do we are we how sure are we that City are going to win the rest of the games?

15:59 We're really not.

16:02 Yeah.

16:00 So I'm 9010.

16:02 I'm with Adam.

16:04 I'm going to go 8020.

16:08 Okay.

16:07 In that a couple of things.

16:08 I think that that last game away to Crystal Palace is

16:12 is maybe a little bit more difficult than it is on paper.

16:15 I I also think um that game against West Ham to come uh

16:20 next weekend will be will be a bigger test than maybe it shows.

16:26 West Ham haven't lost at home since January.

16:29 Now let's for argument sake say um Arsenal in this Champions League tie to come.

16:35 It will be a difficult encounter against Atlet Atletico Madrid.

16:39 every chance that goes to to extra time, all of a sudden that that West Ham game

16:44 becomes a whole lot more difficult given those two things.

16:49 Arsenal beat West Ham um at at at West Ham, we down to 991.

16:56 It it's that big a swing on that one game.

16:58 To Steviey's point, do you see winning out though?

17:02 I I as we'll keep saying it's easier to chase and than than it is to lead.

17:10 And now all of a sudden City find themselves again chasing I

17:14 I think there's there's every chance that they winner every single chance.

17:18 But for Arsenal's performance against Fulham again

17:21 we we you didn't see this coming.

17:23 You didn't see the the Fulham performance or result coming.

17:25 That just came out of the blue.

17:27 So now you're asking yourselfite quite similarly about

17:31 City about this result and and this performance.

17:34 Um listen there no question this is our title

17:37 to lose and looking at from an answer perspective

17:40 I just think that this West Ham game is

17:43 bigger more difficult than maybe the tables would suggest.

17:52 Hey,