Arsenal
Arsenal’s Ødegaard Suffers Minor Knock as Injury Concerns Return Ahead of Run-In
Solbakken calls Ødegaard’s latest issue a minor knock; Arsenal face selection strain for run-in plus
Norway manager Ståle Solbakken confirmed that Martin Ødegaard picked up a knock in Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Sporting CP, but sought to downplay the severity. “He [Ødegaard] took a minor knock where he shouldn’t have,” the Norway boss told reporters at the 2026 Football Conference at Ullevaal Stadium on Thursday, “but I don’t think it’s anything serious.
“He’ll be back on the field before long. It was a minor setback, and we don’t need any more of them.”
The remarks will offer some relief to Arsenal supporters, but they also underline a familiar problem for the club’s captain. Ødegaard has been through an injury-hit 2025/26: an unusual shoulder issue disrupted the start of the campaign, followed by knee damage in October that kept the 27-year-old out for almost two months. He returned for the busy festive period and enjoyed an unbroken run between December and January, only for a succession of minor complaints to interrupt his season thereafter.
Most seriously, Ødegaard missed the whole of March with another knee problem, a lay-off that ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final and Norway’s final friendlies before the World Cup roster is announced. Solbakken’s comment that the recent issue came in a place “where [it] shouldn’t have” suggests that the troublesome knee may be involved once more, even if the manager stressed the setback appears minor for now.
Arsenal’s form has been affected by a wave of injuries. The club had not lost back-to-back matches before elimination from both domestic cup competitions in successive games, and that dip — patched up by a nervy Champions League win in midweek — has coincided with absences across the squad.
Eberechi Eze has often deputised for Ødegaard but was struck down with a calf problem just as he was enjoying the best form of his debut season and is not expected back until the end of April at the earliest. Mikel Merino is also unlikely to feature again before the World Cup, leaving a creative void that, for Arsenal, is most reliably filled by Ødegaard.
Arsenal
How City and Arsenal’s Remaining League Schedules Stack Up as Title Race Tightens
City applied pressure after Brentford; Arsenal must win all three remaining league games, to clinch.
Manchester City closed some of the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal with victory over Brentford on Saturday evening, re-applying pressure as the run-in approaches. Arsenal control their own fate: they will win a first title in over two decades as long as they taste victory in each of their last three league fixtures. City must hope for slip-ups from the Gunners while navigating their own commitments.
Arsenal face an immediate test on Sunday as the in-form Gunners travel to relegation-threatened West Ham United for their 36th match of the season. That trip represents the biggest banana skin remaining on Arsenal’s schedule, with their motivated hosts scrapping for survival and capable of making life awkward for Mikel Arteta’s side. Still, the league leaders will be strong favorites to clinch three points.
Arsenal’s penultimate Premier League fixture reads Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on May 18. Burnley are already relegated, have lost their previous five in all competitions and have managed just one Premier League win since the start of November. Arsenal finish the season with a London trip to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on May 24. Palace could rest personnel ahead of their Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano three days later.
Man City’s schedule includes a rearranged fixture with Crystal Palace this coming Wednesday. Crystal Palace have occasionally proven a thorn in City’s side, most notably triumphing over Pep Guardiola’s men in last year’s FA Cup final. City also have this term’s FA Cup final against Chelsea next Saturday. Three days after the Wembley showdown, they return to Premier League action away at Bournemouth on May 19. Other fixtures for City include Crystal Palace (H) on May 13 and Aston Villa (H) on May 24.
With Arsenal needing three straight wins to secure the title and City still pressing, the closing weeks of the season will be decisive for both clubs.
Analytics & Stats
Opta Simulations Leave Arsenal Favoured as City Cut Lead to Two Points
Opta’s simulations keep Arsenal favourites despite City’s late wins and a tightening title race ’26.
Opta’s supercomputer still ranks Arsenal ahead in the title race despite Manchester City’s late reply at Brentford and a tightening gap. City reduced Arsenal’s lead to two points with both clubs having three matches remaining, but the model continues to favour the Gunners in most scenarios.
Jérémy Doku had been on target twice against Everton on Monday night, yet those goals could not stop City dropping points in a 3–3 draw. Erling Haaland, who scored against Brentford, insisted his team were “still in it” after the Everton setback. Saturday’s reaction at Brentford and the potential importance of goal difference in this finish were both underlined by City’s late flurry.
Opta’s projections list Arsenal on 76 actual points with a predicted 82.37 points and a 79.7% chance of winning the title. Manchester City sit on 74 actual points with a predicted 79.55 points and a 20.3% title probability. Arsenal were given an 85% chance of winning the league in the immediate aftermath of City’s stumble on Merseyside earlier this week.
The computer’s view takes in upcoming schedules. City are shown with fixtures against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa either side of a trip to Bournemouth, a sequence the model judges tricky because Bournemouth remain in the chase for Champions League qualification.
Elsewhere, Manchester United’s place in the Champions League was effectively sealed as they crawled to a goalless draw with Sunderland in their first game after securing qualification. Opta projects United to reach 68.01 points with a 100% chance of qualifying for Europe’s top competition. Liverpool drew 1–1 with Chelsea and still need another win to guarantee a top-five finish. “We wanted to qualify for it weeks ago,” Slot sighed. “It isn’t the season we’re having, though. Sometimes it is really hard to accept these results because we are used to different ones.”
Bournemouth’s manager reflected on survival and ambition after a 1–0 win over Fulham. “Today was a very important step forward,” Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola beamed after his side battled to a 1–0 win over Fulham on Saturday, “but we still have to get more points.” Brighton’s captain also noted the season’s extremes. “It’s a mental season,” club captain Lewis Dunk gushed, “one minute we’re looking at relegation and now we’re talking about Europe, it’s great fun football, isn’t it?”
On the bottom end, Tottenham conclude the matchday with a crunch clash against Leeds on Monday and their chances of survival have improved, while West Ham do not face Arsenal until Sunday.
Arsenal
A First Look at 2026–27 Premier League Away Shirts: Leaks and Confirmations
Leaked images and confirmed details offer a first look at several 2026-27 Premier League away kits.
Away shirts often provide designers the most latitude, and the first leaks for the 2026–27 Premier League season underline that freedom. Clubs have shown a mix of retro echoes and bold departures across a series of projected away kits.
Arsenal’s leaked away shirt has been described as a “reverse” of the club’s famous ‘Bruised Banana’ design from the early 1990s. That original 1992–93 team finished 10th in the inaugural Premier League season as George Graham’s side struggled to adapt to the new back-pass law. The reimagined concept pairs a navy base with the iconic zig-zag pattern and red and yellow accents.
Aston Villa are expected to revisit sky blue for their away option, a shade they last used in 2022–23, Unai Emery’s first season after the end of Steven Gerrard’s tenure.
Bournemouth have kept details tight after announcing a new manufacturer in May. “We’re delighted to announce a new multi-year partnership with Hummel – a club-record kit deal for #afcb ❤️🖤”
Chelsea’s projected away kit uses Nike’s ‘Midwest Gold’ on a predominantly black base, drawing comparison with the club’s 2012–13 strip. That season concluded with Rafael Benítez guiding a fractious fanbase to Europa League success. The club’s managerial future and the identity of any shirt sponsor remain uncertain.
Leeds United’s away proposal would reintroduce an adidas trefoil on clubwear for the first time since 2020 and is expected to feature a white Yorkshire rose within a predominantly yellow shirt.
Liverpool’s leaked image looks close to 2025–26, with a shade nearer to white than cream and speculation the adidas trefoil could replace the three stripes. The design may also reuse the retro badge deployed on the club’s 2025–26 green third shirt, a shield inspired by the 1987–92 device.
Puma’s work for Manchester City has ranged widely; after the divisive 2025–26 grey and neon green mix, the next leak appears more subdued: largely black with gold trim, recalling the 2013–14 championship design. Manchester United are linked to a royal blue away shirt inspired by the SHARP era, while Newcastle United’s projected kit draws on St. James’ Park brickwork and could revive the 1976–83 badge with a magpie before a castle.
