Two Diverging Paths

Arsenal and Manchester City played a fascinating game over the weekend that may be the title decider. With City coming away with a win, Arsenal, once more, see a heap of pressure put on them to win the title finally.

However, City winning the title may produce dramatic changes for both teams.

Limping into the game over the weekend, Arsenal needed the win to secure their first title in over 20 years, truly. City, essentially playing with house money, put themselves in the driver’s seat with this win, leaving both sides in interesting situations.

Another season without a title, especially with the way the season looks likely to end, puts Mikel Arteta in a tough position. Having been backed to the hilt by the board, this was the season to deliver upon his promises. Missing out on a title means that any and all options should be considered in the summer regarding both him and his project.

For City, an unlikely title charge promises to be the perfect cap to the Guardiola era. With a potential successor waiting in the wings, Pep’s time is almost certainly up. No matter the result, this summer promises to be one of immense change, whether they win the title or not.

In what seems likely to be the title decider, City won control of their destiny as title favorites.

Arsenal must once again watch as their hopes dwindle, as Arteta’s time might also be nearing an end.

When Viktor Gyökeres signed for Arsenal in the summer, everything fell into place for Arteta’s side. Finally addressing their biggest need, a Premier League title win became the bare minimum.

Last season’s collapse down the stretch hurt Arteta’s image, but didn’t truly make anyone doubt that he could lead a side to a title. While the style they played last season and this one fails to inspire viewers, it has produced enough results to keep Arteta alive. Liverpool suckerpunching them to the title promised to be a minor speed bump.

After building a decent lead through the winter, old issues started to pop up for the Gunners. While Arteta may be the best defensive coach in Europe, outside of Diego Simeone, his offensive shortcomings continue to bite him.

Despite the money spent on bringing in one of the hottest strikers in Europe last season, the attack looks almost completely similar to last year’s. Wingers remain the only real threat, as they are free to attack at will. However, this causes some overlap with the more central players, almost negating Odegaard’s impact in the past.

The inability to change the system when things get complicated remains Arteta’s biggest issue, and missing out on a title may seal his fate. Every aspect of the club catered to the Spaniard’s needs with the promise that he would deliver a title. However the lack of growth at the game management level continues to hamstring him..

Despite the stability, he returned to the club, keeping Arteta on at this point, should they lose out on the title, it may demoralize the club. Arteta seems to be hitting his ceiling as a manager, and the club can’t allow it to stall their momentum. If they miss out on the trophy, Arsenal needs to bring in a new face to take this talented squad to the next level.

While this loss stings, Arsenal still seems likely to come away with a win despite their congested schedule.

A complete title collapse means that the upcoming summer will be one of reckoning for the Gunners.

Pep winning this title would be the perfect cap to the Spaniard’s time in the Prem. After spending time skulking throughout the season, City and Pep can finally move on with an unexpected title amid turmoil.

For much of the season, Pep grappled with his own mortality, realizing his time in Manchester would soon end. Similar to Steve Kerr’s last season with the Golden State Warriors, both understood that the end was near. Unlike Kerr, who saw his time in the Bay Area end in disappointment, Pep has a chance to end things on a positive note.

With a successor already being prepped by City in Enzo Maresca, the club clearly no longer feels tied to the manager. Part of the reason as to why Pep seemed so distant over the past year comes down to one side, the club, already preparing for the future. Ending with an unexpected title he earned through his own managerial efforts would allow him to do so on his own terms.

A win for City not only would help Pep end his time in Manchester, but it may also spell the end of a decent set of numbers. Having spent the past few months whittling down his squad as the title race heated up, some players saw their futures with the club cut short.

Having been brought in 2025, Omar Marmoush was already a strange signing given how overqualified he felt for the role. The Egyptian starred in the Bundesliga, showing enough to be a top option for any Champions League. Being brought in to be Haaland’s backup always felt like a downgrade for the striker, and it’s clear Pep never fully trusted him.

Another high-profile signing whose time at City fell apart is Tijjani Reijnders, who, like Marmoush, starred in another league. Reijnders started the season so well, promising to be a key piece for future City sides. However, as he struggled to elevate his play in the Prem and City started to actually challenge for the title, Pep went for more trusted options. 

Pep accomplished everything that a manager could ever dream of at a club level.

No matter what the future holds in store for the Spaniard, he no longer has anything to prove.

Last weekend’s title showdown ended with each club’s respective manager reexamining their future. Mikel Arteta may see his time at Arsenal come to an end with a title loss, as the club may look to bring in a new face.

A win would give Pep a chance to end his time in the Prem on his terms.