Arsenal Title Race Shaken After Wolves Slip as Man City Close the Gap
Arsenal Suffer Title Race Setback After Wolves Draw as Man City Close the Gap in Tense Premier League Run-In Battle
Shortest90- |February 20, 2026
If this Premier League title race needed another subplot, it got one at Molineux.
After Arsenal’s frustrating night against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the narrative has shifted — slightly, but significantly. The league may still be in Arsenal’s hands… but for the first time in a while, it’s also very much in Manchester City’s.
And when City smell even the faintest hint of vulnerability, history tells us they don’t just knock — they kick the door down.
Is It Now Pep’s Title to Lose?
That was the big question in the studio.
On paper, yes. If City win their games, they control their destiny. But this isn’t the relentless, 100-point, “blink-and-it’s-3-0” version of City we’ve grown used to under Pep Guardiola.
Since the turn of the year, both Arsenal and City have taken 13 points from a possible 24. That’s not title-winning form. That’s “hope no one notices” form.
City haven’t looked invincible. They’ve dropped points in games they normally cruise. Defensively, they’ve looked human. And yet — they’re still there.
That’s what makes this uncomfortable for Arsenal fans. Even when City wobble, they hover.
“No Pressure”? Not Buying It.
Bukayo Saka insists Arsenal aren’t feeling the pressure.
Professionally? That’s exactly what he should say.
Reality? Pressure doesn’t need an interview invite. It creeps in. Subconsciously. Quietly. Especially when you’ve been here before.
Arsenal have led this league since early in the season. They’ve carried the weight. And when you’ve fallen short in previous run-ins, the mind remembers — even if you pretend it doesn’t.
The question isn’t whether pressure exists. It’s how Mikel Arteta manages it.
Arteta’s Biggest Test Yet
Arteta has experience in these situations now. This isn’t Arsenal from three years ago, collapsing dramatically in April.
In recent seasons, they’ve finished strongly — winning eight or nine of their final ten matches in one campaign. That’s not a team that “bottles” it. That’s a team that just ran into a machine built in Manchester.
But here’s the difference this season: expectations.
This year wasn’t about progress. It was about delivery.
Arteta will likely do what he’s done before — compartmentalize the setback, reset mentally, and go again. After a damaging defeat to Manchester United earlier in the season, Arsenal responded emphatically days later. That resilience will be tested again — immediately.
Because next up? Only the small matter of the North London Derby.
Spurs Next. No Hiding Now.
You couldn’t script it better.
Arsenal’s response to a wobble comes against Tottenham Hotspur.
If there’s one fixture that requires zero motivational speeches, it’s this one.
For Arsenal, it’s about title dreams.
For Spurs, it’s pride. And possibly survival.
There’s no easing back into rhythm. No gentle recovery match. It’s 90 minutes of chaos, emotion, and noise. The kind of game where character is louder than tactics.
And psychologically? It’s massive.
If Arsenal drop points and City win earlier in the weekend, the entire dynamic flips. Suddenly, the hunters become the hunted. Suddenly, muscle memory — City’s muscle memory — becomes relevant again.
The Defensive Jitters
One of Arsenal’s biggest strengths early in the season was defensive solidity. Calm. Controlled. Almost boringly efficient.
Now? There are cracks.
Miscommunication between goalkeeper and centre-back. Nervous moments. Big strikers causing discomfort.
That calm partnership that once looked world-class has shown flickers of anxiety. And in title races, small defensive hesitations can become season-defining moments.
Is it nerves? Fatigue? Pressure? Probably a mix of all three.
The Trophy Question
A few weeks ago, Arsenal fans were dreaming of multiple trophies.
League leaders. In cup finals. Deep in Europe.
Now, the conversation has shifted.
If they don’t win the Premier League, is the season still a success? Would a domestic cup soften the blow? Would even the Champions League compensate?
For many supporters, the answer is clear: it has to be one of the big ones.
The Premier League is the barometer. Everything else feels secondary.
And that’s what makes this run-in so intense.
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