MANCHESTER – The Premier League resumes this weekend after a break for international games with Arsenal’s push for a first title in more than two decades buoyed by a timely win in Europe.
The leaders return to league action in control of their destiny after steadying themselves with a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Sporting in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
That followed a stuttering fortnight in domestic competitions, when Mikel Arteta’s side suffered their first back-to-back defeats of the season.
They were beaten by rivals Manchester City in the League Cup final before their FA Cup run ended at the quarter-final stage against Championship side Southampton.
The wobble revived familiar questions about how Arsenal cope when pressure tightens, but Tuesday’s win offered a reminder of their resilience.
“We stick together as a group, we have so much more to come this season,” said Kai Havertz, who scored Arsenal’s lone goal against Sporting. “Seven weeks to go, we can win big titles, and we’re going to go for that.”
Arsenal have a nine-point lead over chasers Manchester City atop the table, though City have a game in hand.
Arteta’s men host Bournemouth on Saturday knowing they cannot afford further slips with the finish line coming into view. Arsenal have seven fixtures left in the league season.
After months of looking short of their usual authority, Pep Guardiola’s side have roared into form, outplaying Arsenal to lift the League Cup and then thrashing reigning Premier League champions Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
City travel to sixth-placed Chelsea on Sunday with confidence high and the sense that they are finally clicking into gear at the business end of the campaign.
Fifth-placed Liverpool host Fulham on Saturday in a game with major significance with Arne Slot’s team in real danger of missing out on next season’s Champions League.
