The Premier League title race has entered a crucial phase once again, with a scenario that will seem familiar to the Emirates Stadium faithful.
Manchester City have now taken over top spot in the table after a 1-0 win over Burnley on Thursday, putting Pep Guardiola's side in pole position despite both teams having collected 70 points.
Statistically, Manchester City and Arsenal currently have the same points, 70, and an identical goal difference of +37. However, goal output is the key difference. City have scored 66 goals, while Arsenal are stuck at 63.
This change in position has rekindled discussions about Arsenal's repeated failures, having led the standings since October 4th only to be overtaken in recent weeks.
Signs of Arsenal's declining form began to appear at the start of the year. January opened with a draw against Nottingham Forest and a home defeat to Manchester United.
The negative trend continued in February against bottom-of-the-table Wolves. In that match, Arsenal made history by becoming the first league-topper to fail to win after holding a two-goal lead over a relegation-placed team, with the final result being a 2-2 draw.
Despite showing signs of revival in March, winning all three league games and advancing in the Champions League, a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the League Cup final at Wembley proved a psychological turning point. The momentum of the season seemed to shift permanently from that day on. After the international break, Arsenal were eliminated from the FA Cup by second-tier Southampton, losing 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
This decline continued into the league throughout April. A 2-1 home defeat to Bournemouth was a major blow, as that result would have given Arsenal a temporary 12-point lead over City. The situation was further exacerbated by a 2-1 defeat to Guardiola's side away at the Etihad Stadium. The only result that kept the crisis at bay was a narrow 1-0 aggregate victory over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Sharp criticism has now been directed at Mikel Arteta's tactical approach, which is considered too pragmatic and defensive. Opposing fans often label Arsenal as "Set Piece FC" due to their reliance on dead-ball situations.
Arsenal have scored 23 goals from corners and free kicks, accounting for more than a third of their total goals this season. They have also benefited from four own goals from corner kicks.
In contrast, Manchester City have only scored 11 goals from set pieces, ranking them 17th in the league for that statistic. There are clear ideological differences between Arteta and his mentor, Pep Guardiola.
While City stick to an open game and dynamic attacking variety, Arsenal tend to let the game become a physical contest and a rigid defensive structure.
