Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney remains convinced that Arsenal occupy the “driver’s seat” in the race for the Premier League crown, even after their narrow loss to Manchester City this past weekend. The heavyweight clash at the Etihad Stadium ended in a 2-1 victory for the home side, a result that has significantly tightened the margins at the top of the standings as the campaign enters its final stretch.
The match unfolded with high drama, as Rayan Cherki drew first blood for the defending champions before Kai Havertz produced an immediate response to restore parity just sixty seconds later. Although the North Londoners appeared poised to find a second, it was Erling Haaland who eventually struck the decisive blow to secure the win for City. This outcome has allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to close the gap to just three points, with the opportunity to leapfrog Arsenal into first place should they overcome Burnley in their midweek fixture.
Despite the shift in momentum, Rooney argues that the complexity of the remaining schedule favors Mikel Arteta’s squad. With only five matches remaining in the season, the legendary striker suggests that the tactical and emotional hurdles still to come will provide plenty of opportunities for the leaderboard to shift again.
“This title race is not over yet, I still feel like there are some more twists and turns to come,” Rooney observed regarding the current standings. “It is is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favourites.”
Rooney’s assessment centers on the pressure of maintaining a perfect run during the run-in, implying that having points already on the board remains a psychological advantage for the Gunners. As the football world anticipates a thrilling conclusion to the season, Rooney’s endorsement serves as a reminder that the championship is far from decided, with the North London side still holding a marginal edge in his expert estimation.
