Arsenal
Arsenal progress to Champions League semifinals after low‑tempo second leg
Arsenal reached the Champions League semifinals again despite a second leg many called boring once.
Arsenal advanced to the Champions League semifinals for a second successive season despite an uninspiring second leg against Sporting CP. The Gunners held a slim aggregate advantage and produced just a single shot on target in the return match, but defended that lead to reach the last four.
Sporting captain Morten Hjulmand described the game in blunt terms. “The impact of the first game that we lost made it more difficult to go to the Emirates and win, especially when they don’t often lose at home we knew it would be difficult.
“But the game had low intensity and no rhythm, zero goals and I would say boring. I think a lot stops during the game so we couldn’t get the rhythm that we wanted to. A little bit boring.”
The tie provided a sharp contrast with the high‑scoring contest between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, a 6–4 aggregate thriller unfolding at the same time in Germany. For Arsenal, however, results mattered more than style.
“Frustrating? No, we just got to a semifinal, positivity all the way,” stand‑in captain Declan Rice told reporters. “Who cares what people think? All that matters is what this group thinks, what the manager thinks and we’re in another semifinal. I’m delighted.
“We’ll keep going. Keep playing well. Keep getting over the line and bring it on. Bring on everything. This is Arsenal Football Club, there’s noise with every game. If you don’t play well, take it with a pinch of salt and keep moving. Nobody’s going to hand you anything in this game.”
Mikel Arteta underlined that progression was the priority. “I don’t know [if the outcome was fair in Sporting]. I’m the Arsenal manager, and I think it’s very fair what happened over the last two legs,” he said. “You have to be better than the opponent. I think we had many periods in the game when we were there, but we didn’t score the goal. We have many other things that are very important to get the result that you need in a tie.”
This is the club’s first consecutive Champions League semifinal run. Arsenal will meet Atlético Madrid on April 29 and May 5, beginning in Madrid with the decisive second leg at home. Arteta paid tribute to the work behind the achievement. “There’s been a lot of work behind it, we’ve done something that has never been done in the history of our club in 140 years,” he said. “That tells you the difficulty.”
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.
