Manchester City produced a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad on Wednesday, a result that maintains a tight title race with Arsenal. The three points ensured that Arsenal would not be able to wrap up the league this weekend with a single win over relegated Burnley.

The scoring began in the 32nd minute when Phil Foden back-heeled the ball to Antoine Semenyo, who, positioned inside the box with his back to goal, required one touch to turn and beat the goalkeeper. Eight minutes later Omar Marmoush doubled the lead, allowing the ball to roll past before taking a first-time right-footed shot over Dean Henderson’s legs. City sealed the win in the 84th minute as Savinho threaded a skilful run through Palace’s backline and finished a left-footed flick into the side netting.

The Cityzens sit two points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with both teams holding two games remaining. Arsenal still control their destiny: win both remaining matches against Burnley and Palace and they will secure the title. If Arsenal record a win and a draw while City win both of their remaining fixtures against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, the two clubs would finish level on 83 points and the title would be decided by goal difference, and then by goals scored if necessary.

City will hope either Burnley or Palace can challenge Arsenal in the coming rounds. Burnley are considered unlikely to upset the Gunners, but Palace could pose a threat, particularly if Mikel Arteta partially rotates his squad ahead of the Champions League final. Palace themselves may adjust personnel given their Conference League final follows their fixture with Arsenal.

Player ratings:

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—8.0: Relatively untested on the night.

RB: Matheus Nunes—7.2: Combined well with Savinho.

CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—7.6: Solid outing for the Uzbekistan international.

CB: Marc Guéhi—7.8: Was patient on the ball. Did well to penetrate the space the Eagles gave him.

LB: Joško Gvardiol—6.6: Looked comfortable and collected, despite taking the pitch for the first time since January.

CM: Bernardo Silva—7.4: Was highly successful at breaking down Palace’s midfield lines.

RM: Savinho—8.2: Had creative looks to switch the field, but lacked accuracy early in the match. Brilliant in his late goal.

AM: Phil Foden—8.9: Two assists for the Englishman, who had a point to prove.

LM: Rayan Aït-Nouri—7.1: Rejoined the starting lineup. Was dynamic high up the left flank.

ST: Antoine Semenyo—7.2: Took a rare central position and struggled to get involved at times, but came through when it mattered.

ST: Omar Marmoush—7.9: Proved the star power of striker Erling Haaland wasn’t needed.

Subs: Nathan Aké (58’ for Nunes)—6.3; Jérémy Doku (58’ for Gvardiol)—6.0; Rayan Cherki (79’ for Marmoush)—7.6; Mateo Kovacic (79’ for Silva)—6.5; John Stones (82’ for Foden)—N/A.

Subs not used: James Trafford (GK), Rúben Dias, Tijjani Reijnders, Erling Haaland.

Match statistics: Possession 72% – 28%; Expected Goals (xG) 1.56 – 0.68; Total Shots 15 – 6; Shots on Target 4 – 2; Big Chances 3 – 0; Pass Accuracy 89% – 77%; Fouls Committed 10 – 7.

Sunday produced one of the most dramatic moments in Premier League history and, for Arsenal, it was three vital points. The victory moved Mikel Arteta’s side noticeably closer to a first Premier League title and left rivals with less margin for error.

Manchester City still have three games remaining, beginning with Wednesday’s visit from Crystal Palace. Pep Guardiola’s side can reach a maximum of 83 points. That arithmetic means Arsenal need five points from their two remaining fixtures to guarantee the title regardless of what City do.

There are a few scenarios that follow from those numbers. If City win their next two matches the race could go to the final day. Conversely, any slip from City would open the door for Arsenal to celebrate earlier.

If City fail to beat Palace on Wednesday, Arsenal could seal the title in their next outing. The Gunners face relegated Burnley on Monday and are heavy favourites for that match; a win would provide the three points required to make the title mathematically certain.

Even a draw for City on Wednesday would help Arsenal, since anything less than perfection from Guardiola’s side would not be enough to overhaul Arsenal’s position.

Should City beat Palace, they would sit two points behind Arsenal with two matches left for both clubs. That would return pressure to Manchester City, who travel to Bournemouth 24 hours after Arsenal’s Burnley fixture. A City defeat or draw at Bournemouth would confirm Arsenal as champions.

Bournemouth are locked in a fierce battle for sixth place and, with assistance from Aston Villa, a top-six finish could still be achievable. While City are likely favourites in their remaining fixtures, the Cherries could prove a difficult opponent and influence the title outcome.

The only way the race reaches the final day is if City keep picking up points. Victory over Palace is crucial. With Arsenal likely to beat Burnley, City will need three points at Bournemouth as well. If Arsenal drop points against Burnley, the title could still go to the final day, provided City win their surrounding fixtures.

Pep Guardiola closed Saturday’s press conference with an unmistakable show of support for West Ham United ahead of their game with Arsenal. As he left the room he crossed his arms above his head to mimic West Ham supporters and shouted: “Come on you Irons!”

The intervention was part humour, part calculation. While defeat for Arsenal would be City’s preference, a draw would be good enough to bring fate back into Guardiola’s hands, with the two teams’ goal difference just one apart—Arsenal’s 41 giving them a narrow edge over City’s 40.

City will finally catch up with Arsenal when it comes to games played on Wednesday when Crystal Palace visit the Etihad, and scoring goals will still be the order of business as that will be the deciding factor if the two sides end the season level on points.

The season has been turbulent for Guardiola’s side. An unconvincing start to the campaign and another slump at the start of 2026 had many concluding they would not be part of the title race. In April, however, a 2–1 win over Arsenal left Guardiola’s team viewed as favourites, only for a 3–3 collapse against Everton to leave them chasing with just three games left.

Asked about the state of the run-in, Guardiola was candid about his appetite for the challenge. “I love it,” Guardiola said of the chaos. “I love to be here again. Finish second again minimum so I love it.

He added a perspective on the recent months: “I didn’t enjoy last season, it was difficult, but the Carabao [Cup] is in our pocket, the FA Cup final at Wembley is the most beautiful day of the season and I love it. ]”

The chief’s final gesture at the press conference was lighthearted, but it underlined a clear truth: marginal details and the ability to score when required will determine the destination of the title.