Aston Villa’s win at Villa Park has pulled Manchester City and Arsenal level on 21 points in the Premier League, with City hanging on to top spot on goal difference only.
Nicolas Jackson struck either side of Erling Haaland’s thirteenth goal of the season, and Enzo Maresca’s side lost for the first time in league action. A few hours later the Gunners beat Everton at the Emirates Stadium to join them. We looked at how the trip to Villa was set up before kick-off.
City have won several games by a considerable margin, which is why they stay ahead, but the Premier League champions are right on their tail. A trip to the Emirates in late November could put breathing room between the two again, and both sides have testing fixtures first, plus an international break.
Man City fixtures: the next five league games
| Man City opponent | Date |
|---|---|
| Brighton (H) | October 31 |
| Nottingham Forest (A) | November 7 |
| Fulham (H) | November 21 |
| Arsenal (A) | November 29 |
| Leeds United (H) | December 2 |
City’s next clash is at home to Brighton, and it could be quite the challenge, considering Arsenal have already fallen to Fabian Hurzeler’s side. It is also the first of two meetings in a week, because City meet Brighton again in the Carabao Cup on October 28, and Ruben Dias has already promised a reaction.
A trip to Nottingham Forest follows, and City need the three points there, as Arteta and Co. triumphed at the City Ground earlier this month.
Fulham visit the Etihad Stadium following the domestic pause, with the Cottagers still languishing in the bottom half despite back-to-back wins. Just over a week on from that comes the big one at Arsenal, and the chance to make a big statement in the title race. Leeds United then arrive for the first set of midweek fixtures, which will almost certainly be another difficult game.
The injury picture matters too: City’s injury list after the Villa defeat shows who could be back in time.
Arsenal fixtures: is the run harder for the Gunners?
| Arsenal opponent | Date |
|---|---|
| Liverpool (A) | November 1 |
| Hull City (H) | November 7 |
| Newcastle United (A) | November 21 |
| Manchester City (H) | November 29 |
| Brentford (A) | December 2 |
On paper, Arsenal’s next five league fixtures look harder, starting with a trip to Liverpool. If City win there it may put even more pressure on Arteta’s side to claim a positive result of their own.
The easiest opponent of the two sides over the next month or so comes next, with newly promoted Hull City in town, which makes a victory vital. A feisty clash under the lights at St James’ Park follows, still a challenging fixture despite Newcastle United’s poor recent form.
Arsenal will then fancy their chances against City at the Emirates Stadium, having already bested them at a neutral venue in the last few months. A quick trip across London to face Brentford comes the following Wednesday.
Man City vs Arsenal: cup and European games in between
| City opponent | Competition | City date | Arsenal opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | Carabao Cup | October 28 | Fleetwood Town (October 27) |
| RB Leipzig | Champions League | November 4 | Slavia Prague |
| Napoli | Champions League | November 24 | Borussia Dortmund |
The cup and Champions League dates add to the load. City face Brighton (October 28) in the Carabao Cup, RB Leipzig (November 4) and Napoli (November 24) in Europe. Arsenal face Fleetwood Town (October 27) in the Carabao Cup, then Slavia Prague (November 4) and Borussia Dortmund (November 24) in the Champions League.
Author opinion: who has the edge?
Strictly on paper, City have the kinder league run, with Hull City the only easy-looking game for Arsenal and a Liverpool trip to open. But City have been stung once already this season at Villa Park, and the November 29 meeting at the Emirates Stadium will matter either way. More Premier League fixture detail is on the league’s official site.
