Man City’s DRAMATIC Draw vs. Everton | Arsenal Inches Closer To Premier League Title

0:00 ultimately not the result that Manchester City

0:03 needed and wanted in the title race.

0:06 So, the gap is now five points to Arsenal.

0:08 They still have that game in hand,

0:10 but are unable to put as much pressure as they would have hoped on the Gunners.

0:15 Let's have a quick look at the games remaining for the two teams.

0:19 Arsenal, they've obviously got that game next up against Atletico Madrid,

0:22 the eagerly awaited Champions League semi-final

0:25 second leg at the Emirates in midweek.

0:27 They've got West Ham, Burnley, and Crystal Palace.

0:30 The three games in the Premier League after that.

0:33 Manchester City have got Brenford, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth,

0:36 and Villa to come in the Premier League.

0:38 They've also got that FA Cup final against Chelsea in the middle of it.

0:42 And JD, I think it's fair.

0:44 We have criticized Arsenal, haven't we?

0:46 Openly in the last few weeks about feeling the pressure in the title race.

0:50 And even though they got back and they drew the game

0:51 and it did look like they were going to lose it,

0:53 we have to be critical of Manchester City.

0:55 They crumbled under the pressure there, didn't they?

0:56 They crumbled under the pressure.

0:58 They didn't understand the assignment.

0:59 And more importantly, they were very they were very lucky to win

1:02 this or to actually get anything from this game

1:04 because I was screaming at the the the screen

1:06 while we were sitting there enjoying this.

1:07 They should blow the whistle like too short cuz at this moment

1:10 they were deep into stoppage time a minute and a half later.

1:13 And no matter what, Pep Guardiola might have given that fist pump,

1:15 but he knows a massive moment of momentum is now swung towards Arsenal.

1:19 Think about it this way, Adam.

1:20 When I look at those fixtures, yes, I see Crystal Palace, yes,

1:22 I see West Ham and yes, I see Burnley squeezed in between.

1:24 But what I also see is Arsenal not leaving London.

1:27 That also could make a massive difference in terms of the travel,

1:30 the requirements at this stage, any exhaustion, just the recovery.

1:33 You're balancing two competitions.

1:34 You have five games potentially now to close out your season.

1:37 And now you've been given the extra edge of knowing

1:39 that if you win or achieve all of those achievements,

1:42 you are going to be create a moment in history

1:44 that will never be rivaled again for this club.

1:46 We'll talk more about the the implications in the title race in a second,

1:49 but let's focus on the game to start with.

1:52 It was a ky first half.

1:53 As we said, Manchester City just weren't able to really assert themselves in it

1:57 until maybe at the end when they came back into it and got the draw.

2:00 It was a game of two halves.

2:01 And I'm so glad they were bringing the momentum chart up because even though it

2:04 shows that little spell of maybe what 10

2:05 minutes where Everton were just entering the game,

2:07 that first 25 to 30 minutes, it was complete and utter dominance of Man City.

2:11 Everton sat deep, they were containing,

2:13 they were very rigid and hard to break down on a low block.

2:16 But at the same time, Man City really was showing their elements of brilliance.

2:19 You see where the goal came and it really

2:21 did sort of change the trajectory of the game.

2:23 Everybody sort of took a deep breath and relaxed

2:25 and we thought at that moment it was just

2:27 going to be typical poetry and motion like Mania

2:29 are now going to go on and it's one, it's two, it's three, it's four.

2:32 But I really have been sp speaking about this a lot throughout this season.

2:35 This is not the Man City of old.

2:36 This isn't the team that was a Centurians.

2:38 They might have the same leadership, but it's not the same quality.

2:41 And they do go through spells where they lapse concentration.

2:43 And that's exactly what that was for Mark Ghee today.

2:46 And that's not not meaning to associate him

2:48 with that because he's actually been really good.

2:50 But I've seen it throughout the season.

2:51 They have moments where they're in control and yet again they

2:54 lose control in the second half of games because they're not focused,

2:58 they're not concentrated or they're complacent.

3:00 And any one of the three could cost you in a title.

3:03 Who's to blame here?

3:03 Who didn't show up today?

3:04 I think there was only one change.

3:05 Eight Nory was in the side for the last game.

3:07 He moved out.

3:08 Gonzalez into the team.

3:10 Who are you pointing out that didn't show up for Pep today?

3:12 I think there's a number of players that are probably

3:14 looking at change room and say they didn't turn up.

3:16 I think the whole back four have looked uh great in spells this year,

3:19 especially while they've been on this momentum in 2026.

3:21 That was the back four that more ended 2025.

3:24 The nervousness, the mistakes, the riddle,

3:26 the high line that seemed a bit disjointed at moments.

3:29 Everton weren't really supposed to cause problems in terms

3:32 of Man City in in their final third.

3:34 in terms of Everton's final third.

3:35 I I just didn't see the element of control in the second half of a game

3:39 that's usually associated with this Man City team in the first half of a game.

3:42 But then I look at that quality on the bench and I look at I look at Mammush,

3:45 I look at Nori, I look at Cevini, I look at Foden, I look at so many Rinders,

3:49 I look at so much potential they have to change a game and yet

3:51 once again they're falling up short because

3:53 I've spoke about this a number of times.

3:56 What's going to win this title Chase?

3:57 What's going to win this Premier League is going to be depth.

3:59 It's got nothing really to do in terms of the quality.

4:02 There's quality on both sides in terms of for Man City and for Arsenal.

4:05 But what's going to really be the decider is

4:07 who can keep fit and who can utilize their squad.

4:10 And right now across the 35 games or 34 I've seen,

4:13 I believe Arsenal have utilized their squad better.

4:15 Hence why I always say the table never lies.

4:18 The interesting thing as well is when

4:19 you compare Arsenal and Manchester City this weekend, Arsenal played Fulham,

4:23 they won 3-0 and then obviously what Manchester City

4:25 have done today were quite similar opponents, weren't they?

4:28 Fulham and Everton, mid-table teams, not completely on the beach.

4:31 they still potentially could make it into Europe but was unlikely.

4:35 So I felt like the it was fairly even going into these games.

4:39 Arsenal showed up particularly in the first half

4:41 scoring those three goals and City didn't did they?

4:44 It was so interesting if you look at the first

4:45 45 minutes on both of those two teams it really does

4:47 showcase in terms of the the control that Man City

4:50 had at Everton and what they demonstrate in terms of possession,

4:52 in terms of territory, in terms of chances created.

4:55 That was a typical Man City performance that Pep

4:57 would have probably clapped when he went in at Halime.

5:00 Arsenal did exactly the same.

5:01 The energy was high, the way they asserted themselves,

5:04 implemented their game onto Fulham at the weekend,

5:06 and I thought that was a great 45 minutes for them,

5:08 especially from a confidence perspective.

5:10 Now, look at the difference in the second half.

5:12 I thought Arsenal controlled the dynamics in the second half against Fulham,

5:15 minimized the opportunities in terms of from Fulham offensively and shut

5:19 the game down where they was able to take off Paio Saka,

5:21 able to take off Declan Rice and manage that squad better.

5:25 Man City showed no control in that second half.

5:27 There were high lines.

5:28 There was disjointed.

5:29 There was no continuity in terms of what we had seen in the first 45 minutes.

5:33 And it led to Everton growing into the game.

5:35 That in our chance, I'm really happy that our producers were able to cut

5:38 it and put it in because it seemed like it that was a turning point.

5:41 All of a sudden it was, oh, we can actually get involved here.

5:44 We can get involved in this game.

5:45 And once you give a David Moyes team an opportunity,

5:47 just a sniffle, just a chance in terms of opening that door.

5:51 Oh, they're going to kick it wide open.

5:52 They're going to showcase a robust style and create chances in in their way.

5:56 And boy, do they utilize it.

5:57 I mean, City, you could say that they've I know they scored three goals today,

6:01 but two of those came late on when they were chasing the game.

6:03 Lacking cutting edge.

6:04 They only scored one goal against Burnley.

6:06 And we have said in this second half

6:08 of the season that ultimately Erling Harland and his performances,

6:11 his goals would decide the title race.

6:12 If he keeps banging in two, three a game,

6:15 then it's hard to see City being stopped.

6:17 But I know he scored late on, but he doesn't really look like he's playing

6:21 at the level that we were seeing a few

6:22 weeks ago where he was scoring plenty of goals.

6:24 I'm always going to put Erin Harland

6:25 in the upper echelons of conversations around world number nines.

6:28 I've always said it it's Kane and it's Mbappe

6:29 and it's Harland and it doesn't really matter which

6:31 preference you have in terms of those are

6:33 the three those are the leading figures in world football.

6:35 But what comes with that is responsibility and it's

6:37 not to try and quote Peter Parker on here.

6:39 It's the the truth of it though when you have that level

6:41 of responsibility on your shoulders and you're required to show up every game.

6:45 We see Harry Kane and what he's doing in the final

6:47 stages of the Champions League and obviously delivering a domestic trophy.

6:50 killing Mbappe.

6:51 No doubt about it, he's going to want

6:52 to do it on international stage this summer.

6:54 And regardless of what Real Madrid did,

6:56 his individual performances were fantastic because of the standard

6:59 that Erling Harling has set for himself beyond Man City.

7:02 I'm talking back from his his Dortmund days all the way through.

7:05 We expect it.

7:06 We expect there to be a goal a game.

7:08 And 2026 has probably been one of the roughest periods in his career.

7:12 Now, it doesn't take away the brilliance that you saw towards the end.

7:15 But I'm expecting I'm talking about inhumane numbers,

7:19 numbers that only are generational.

7:20 A goal a game is a minimum.

7:22 It's what I expect from him because it's what he's delivered.

7:24 And unfortunately, we're not finding that consistency and form.

7:27 I do believe that there's going to be a massive change because Kevin

7:30 De Bruyne leaves your changing room who he had an incredible connection with.

7:33 It's going to be hard to kind of resemble

7:35 that or or replicate that in any which way.

7:37 But it does rely there's an onus still on you.

7:40 You are the highest paid player on that team.

7:41 You have signed a ridiculously long contract because

7:44 you see yourself as arguably the franchise player.

7:46 Well, you need to deliver franchise performances and your team requires you

7:50 in these final five games to really deliver and this is one that was short.

7:54 We saw the standings there.

7:56 Is the obviously it's not mathematically,

7:58 but do you feel like the title race is over?

8:00 How close are we to it being decided?

8:03 Are you going to sleep easy as an Arsenal fan?

8:04 We're going to go back and forth again.

8:06 It's going to happen.

8:06 There's going to be es and there's going to be flows.

8:08 I've stayed consistent all year and saying

8:09 that Arsenal would be crowned champions.

8:12 I did also say that 85 points would probably be enough to see it out.

8:15 If my math maths is correct, 85 points in terms of winning those last

8:18 three games do deliver Arsenal the title.

8:21 So I look at it this way and I will say over and over again going to West Ham

8:25 only from North London to East London and going

8:27 to Crystal Palace only from North London to South London.

8:29 People will be sitting there saying what does that matter?

8:32 It matters hugely when you're talking about

8:33 at this stage of the season where everyone is mentally,

8:36 physically and emotionally tired.

8:37 those extra days you get at home,

8:39 not having to necessarily stay in a hotel for one or two days extra.

8:43 Trust me, it adds up at this point of the season.

8:46 So, that's going to be very favorable for Arsenal.

8:48 Burnley, I'd expect that to almost be

8:49 a write-off because Bernie already down change of manager.

8:52 Um, I thought Scott Parker did a great job,

8:54 but you know, changes was necessary at that club at that moment.

8:58 But going forward, I cannot tell you

9:00 how much this performance from Everton could have

9:03 inspired Arsenal's last five games potentially to be

9:06 a surge in terms of a completed double.

9:08 Do you think both teams drop points between now and the end

9:11 of the season or do you see Arsenal winning out from now on?

9:14 I think both teams lose games.

9:17 I don't think Arsenal drop points.

9:19 And I'll give my context.

9:20 I don't necessarily I've never tipped Arsenal

9:22 to win the Champions League because I

9:23 do believe the two teams on the opposite side of the bracket are better.

9:26 Do I tip Arsenal to make the Champions League final?

9:29 I do.

9:29 I expect them to handle their business tomorrow night at home to Athletico.

9:33 However, I don't expect them to drop any more points in the league.

9:36 Nine from nine.

9:37 If I had given you this position, Adam,

9:38 and if you're Mikuela to lead in this changing

9:40 room and you say win your last three games and you're going to you're not going

9:43 to play a team that's in the top half, there's no excuses.

9:47 And I made I've made that point on score line a couple of times.

9:50 Actually, even with all the negativity swirling over the last few weeks

9:54 where man it looked like Arsenal were stumbling in the title race,

9:57 if you'd offered them this at the start of the season, I'm not an Arsenal fan,

10:01 but if we'd offered them this position at the start of the season,

10:04 they would have bitten your hand off.

10:05 You have to put yourself into the position to have it in your hands,

10:08 potentially be able to win it, and they did that.

10:10 So, I think all of the negativity was a bit too bit premature for my feeling.

10:14 Media noise, outside noise,

10:16 do I feel like it's infiltrated and impacted this team?

10:18 I do.

10:19 I think around the question marks and we'll reflect on the season,

10:21 no doubt about it on this desk at some point, but the noise around set pieces,

10:25 the noise around how robust or how attractive their style of football was,

10:28 the noise around whether or not they were good enough,

10:31 fluid enough, winning a games in a in a typical

10:33 Arsenal manner or how champions should be.

10:35 I tell you now, all of that noise goes

10:37 out the window if you lift that that trophy.

10:39 And that is the only thing that really matters.

10:41 At the end of the day,

10:41 no one remembers any of the teams from yesterday years not

10:44 playing attractive football or not playing the best style of football.

10:47 I'm telling you, as someone who's lived through

10:48 it and been in the media for this long,

10:50 I can tell you they spoke about Leicester the same way, only winning one nil.

10:53 They spoke about that United team,

10:55 the turn of the century of only winning a league title by 70 or points.

10:59 I can remember yesterday years, even before then,

11:01 the invincibles and saying that they only had 12 draws.

11:04 There is a narrative around every title.

11:06 What's going to separate those that are crowned champions and those that are

11:10 forever looking on are those that can hide out the noise,

11:13 ignore the noise and the chatter around them, and make sure they deliver.

11:16 and Arsenal now have a golden opportunity to make sure they do that.

11:18 If Manchester City aren't able to do it,

11:20 and at the moment it's looking like they aren't going to, will

11:23 it be a case of they just left it too late?

11:26 They did manage to improve their level.

11:27 I mean, if you compare the Manchester City we're seeing now

11:29 compared to the level we saw at the start of the season.

11:31 Obviously, they have improved.

11:32 They put themselves at least in the title race,

11:34 but they just gave themselves too much

11:36 of a mountain to climb late on in the season.

11:39 I'm only going to quote Pep Guardiola a number

11:40 of times in different press conferences after disappointing results.

11:43 He's quoted as saying the title was over.

11:44 M I I truly believe that he is a little

11:48 bit surprised that his team is still in contention,

11:50 especially how close it was when you're

11:51 talking about the beginning of this game week.

11:53 So I I believe that in his mind he was always thinking a couple

11:56 of domestic trophies and we can really still kick on next year because this is

11:59 going to be a building block in terms of the transitions for the players

12:02 that's come in and come out of City over the last couple of seasons.

12:05 They haven't done well in terms of recruitment in as much

12:07 as the quality that's left that changing room and the experience of winners.

12:10 But what they will recognize now if you give them an opportunity to win

12:15 this is still a designated one arguably

12:17 the best manager in world football and still

12:19 have Phil Foden who's won trophies in there and a number of other players

12:22 who have been in and around it including Bernardo and all the rest of it.

12:25 There's still enough quality and experience

12:27 sprinkled in that changing room to recognize.

12:29 But I think upon reflection and we'll have

12:31 this conversation in a few weeks no doubt about it.

12:33 City will be disappointed in their season.

12:35 There's a number of opportunities they've had where they had chances like today.

12:38 I think back automatically to that Spurs performance.

12:41 Remember Dom Seni scoring that double where they were completely in control.

12:45 You're talking about a team that's contesting for relegation right now,

12:47 contesting for their status in this league.

12:49 Those are dropped points.

12:50 That's when you lose league titles.

12:52 We wouldn't have circled the Man City defeat.

12:54 If Arsenal don't win this title,

12:55 we wouldn't have circled Man City away as the game in which they lost it.

12:59 You would have circled Bournemouth the week before being at home and saying

13:02 that was your opportunity to demonstrate

13:03 that you deserve to be crowned champions.

13:06 I just believe when it's all said and done, like I said, the league never lies.

13:09 Over 38 games, you play each team once, home and away.

13:13 The proof is in the pudding.

13:14 There's a reason why Arsenal are leading right now.

13:16 I don't think this quality in terms of the league season has been fantastic.

13:18 It's been riddled with a lot of mistakes, but it's been very, very entertaining.

13:22 Direct answer, yes or no.

13:24 Do Arsenal win the title?

13:25 Said the same thing since August.

13:26 The second that they signed Eber Ez,

13:28 that was enough of a good quality squad to win this title.