After being held to a draw by Everton (3-3), Manchester City now trail Premier League leaders Arsenal by five points. With three games remaining, the London club’s fate is in their own hands.
Matchday 35 of the Premier League may have marked a decisive turning point in the title race. On Monday evening, Manchester City let a precious opportunity slip away by conceding a draw away to Everton (3-3), whereas a win would have seen them close the gap to three points behind leaders Arsenal with one game in hand.
Trailing 1-3 in the 81st minute, the Citizens avoided defeat thanks to a brace from Jérémy Doku, who scored the equaliser in stoppage time (90+7). A result that limited the damage for Pep Guardiola’s men, though it did not prevent them from losing ground to their London rivals.
With three games remaining, Arsenal now hold a five-point lead over their Manchester rivals. The Gunners will therefore be crowned English champions if they win their last three league matches. The fixture list also looks favourable for Mikel Arteta’s side, with an away trip to West Ham (18th), a home game against Burnley (19th), and a final match away at Crystal Palace (15th).
Manchester City’s schedule, by contrast, looks more challenging. The Citizens will host Brentford (7th) and then Crystal Palace (15th) – in their postponed match from matchday 31 – before travelling to Bournemouth (6th). They will round off their Premier League season by hosting Aston Villa (5th). In the meantime, the Manchester club will also have to contest an FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Manchester City remain hopeful
Despite this tricky situation, the mood remains combative in the Manchester camp. “We’ll fight until the very end, that’s for sure, as we always do. We’re in a difficult position, but who knows? In football, anything can happen,” said Bernardo Silva after the match. His manager Guardiola shares the same mindset: “We’ll take the point, because a point is better than none, and as long as it’s not over, we’ll keep believing.”
Manchester City can draw on their experience of nail-biting end-of-season races. In 2023, the Citizens managed to overturn an eight-point deficit to Arsenal to eventually clinch the title. Another factor to consider is the Champions League. Arsenal play their Champions League semi-final second leg against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday (9pm) (1-1 in the first leg). An elimination would be hard to take, whilst a place in the final could divert the squad’s attention until 30 May and disrupt their focus in the final sprint.
Manchester United: the board is still undecided about Carrick
Despite excellent results in charge of Manchester United, Michael Carrick is not yet certain of a contract extension as head coach. The Manchester United board wishes to take its time.
Michael Carrick has got Manchester United back on track, but that does not yet guarantee his permanent appointment.
Despite the spectacular turnaround orchestrated by the former midfielder since January, the Manchester United board are still considering their options regarding the manager’s position for next season.
Continuing with Carrick would, however, seem the logical choice for MU. Appointed following Ruben Amorim’s sacking, the former assistant manager has restored a sense of identity and, above all, results to a team that was then in disarray. His record speaks for itself: nine wins in 13 matches, with a climb from seventh to third place in the Premier League. Qualification for the Champions League would further strengthen his position. Enough to convince the board once and for all? Not necessarily.
According to The Telegraph, United do not want a repeat of the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer situation, where he was appointed in 2019 amid widespread fan enthusiasm before the project ran out of steam. The club is therefore favouring a more methodical approach: the 44-year-old manager has scored points – plenty of them, in fact – but Manchester United are refusing to make a decision driven by emotion. The Manchester United board wishes to follow a proper process in appointing its future manager.
Iraola as the main rival?
According to The Telegraph, Andoni Iraola is now emerging as the most serious alternative to Carrick. Highly regarded for his work at Bournemouth, the Spaniard appeals with his attacking, intense and modern style of football. His departure from Bournemouth at the end of the season, after turning down several offers of a contract extension, would make his signing easier.
Today, however, Carrick remains in pole position. The fact that he has succeeded at a club where many managers have come unstuck is inevitably a plus. He will also not need time to settle in, unlike a new manager arriving this summer. With many strengths on his side, the English coach is in the lead but has not yet crossed the finish line.
