Arsenal given title verdict after Man Utd defeat as Man City lurk in Premier League race

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Manchester United continued to throw cat among the pigeons as they secured another notable win - downing Arsenal at the Emirates to reignite the Premier League title race.

The Gunners have seen their lead at the top cut to four points after Manchester City and Aston Villa both won before Mikel Arteta's side were beaten by a late Matheus Cunha strike in a five-goal thriller.

All of a sudden the question marks against the north Londoners are mounting. Despite looking dominant for much of the year, there is talk of the Arsenal falling short again - which would be hard to stomach.

For all their progress, Arteta's side have finished second for three years on the bounce, previously surrendering top spot late in the day. This has been seen as their year, but they just can't shake that niggling doubt as City remain in close proximity.

They're by no means at their best, but have a raft of winning experience and a man in Pep Guardiola who knows how to get over the line. Arsenal have neither of those with their talented squad and impressive manager still learning on the job as they seek to end a 22-year wait for top flight success.

Sunday's loss will do little to put those nagging doubts out of their mind and, as the business end of the season approaches, we ask whether Arsenal will finally get over the line and end not just their wait for the title, but a six-year trophy drought.

Arsenal have the best squad. Arsenal have the most depth in a squad. Arsenal still have the best defence in the Premier League. And one of the best midfielders in the world , in the shape of Declan Rice .

But what Arsenal don't have is the experience of winning a title. The knowledge and belief they have what it takes to be the best over the course of a season. They also don't have a manager who is a serial winner.

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Which means Arsenal are destined to be the bridesmaid again, instead of the bride. Being good enough on paper and wanting to win a league title is one thing - but getting it done is another altogether. Arsenal will come up short - and when this happens, Arteta should be sacked.

It feels all too familiar for Arsenal right now. The Gunners have put themselves in a brilliant position - and they remain the frontrunners to secure the title.

Will they do it? No. They’re showing too many similar signs to their previous failed title pushes and it’s going to go the same way as the previous ones; Manchester City will pip them to the trophy.

Sure, Guardiola’s side aren’t anywhere near as imperious as they once were and they’re capable of a slip up. That alone will give Arsenal hope. But when the pressure is on, they appear to crumble. And I think the label of favourites is going to do more damage than good for Arteta’s side.

Just like Manchester City, Arsenal are also capable of a slip. Arteta will certainly hope that just two points from their last three games is as bad as it gets but they’ve got a very tough run of fixtures coming up - starting with this weekend’s trip to Leeds United .

That’s followed by clashes with Sunderland , Brentford, Tottenham and Chelsea , alongside games in the Champions League , FA Cup and Carabao Cup. That run will push the Gunners’ squad to its limit and any more dropped points could prove terminal in their ambitions for the title.

Arsenal are still the most likely winners of the Premier League. They are still top of the league. They still have the best squad. And, even after conceding three against Manchester United , they still have the best defence.

Sunday's defeat is undoubtedly a blow for Arteta's side, but shouldn't be too worrying. They gifted United the first goal. And the other two were screamers from outside the box. Despite their continued struggles in open play, Arsenal still scored twice - and the 3-1 win over Inter Milan showed the benefit of Gabriel Jesus' return.

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Man City have been bolstered by the signings of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi, no doubt, but the comfortable win over Wolves didn't gloss over the fact they were just thrashed by Bodo/Glimt and had gone just under a month without a league victory. This isn't the City juggernaut of previous years that Arsenal should fear.

Arsenal have to pick themselves up and go again. They won't be defined by this loss.

Even warm title favourites are allowed a bad day at the office and the defeat to a decent Manchester United team was certainly one of those for Arteta’s side.

But games can turn on certain moments and, from Arteta’s point of view, there was no accounting for Martin Zubimendi’s terrible mistake that altered the direction of proceedings.

Even if the setback against United does dent confidence, Arsenal have got the strength in depth to collect the required number of points in the remaining 15 games of the season. And based on the numbers and the standard of this season’s Premier League so far, it could well be that 30 more points from those matches will be good enough.

Neither City nor Aston Villa look formidable enough to put together a long winning run so Arsenal fans do need to panic. Yet. Sure, Arteta could do with a few key players rediscovering their best form but they will still have enough to get over the line in May.

City are my favourites for the title. And it’s not just because of Arsenal’s latest wobble against United - although that only strengthens the argument. Arsenal put themselves in a great position last weekend where they were seven points ahead and in the driving seat. They are still in pole position because they are four ahead.

But the pressure did crazy things to them against United. They look a team playing with fear because they lack experience of winning. That is why I have always railed against this notion that Arsenal have the best squad. No, they have arguably the biggest and deepest squad.

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City, in my view, have the best squad because it contains so many players who have been there, seen it and won it. Liverpool also have depth but they ripped up their squad last summer and brought in new faces. In January already, City have bought so well in signing Semenyo and, in particular, Guehi. The latter is England’s best defender and he will strengthen their team so much.

It is City to win it - and that will be a crushing blow for Arsenal because to blow it from here will leave so many questioning whether Mikel Arteta can ever get it done. It will be harder next year.

Arsenal will still win the title - because nobody else is consistent enough to stop them. City are the obvious challengers and have shown they are serious by adding Semenyo and Guehi in January.

But they are still fallible and a home win against Wolves has done little to convince me otherwise. They were winless in their previous four in the league before that and were also humbled by European minnows Bodo/Glimt in the Arctic Circle.

Aston Villa will probably never have a better chance to upset the apple cart and win the title. But with their European commitments it's hard to see them sustaining consistency on two fronts. I expect Arsenal to reset after the United result, get back to their strengths defensively and do enough to end their drought - but it won't be pretty.

Are Arsenal in danger of letting it slip again? Yes they are, and it will be City who deny them if anyone. I'm convinced the winner of the title will be whoever claims the Carabao Cup final on March 15, even if there are plenty of games to play out until that day.

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Both Arsenal and City have one foot in the final ahead of return legs on their home patches, so its looking like a Pep-Arteta final in waiting. Whoever is victorious at Wembley will go on to be the champions.

Arsenal will either prove they firmly have City's number, can win major trophies and can get the job done. Until they do that this nagging doubt will remain among a bunch of players, the majority of whom have never claimed a league title. City know they can get over the line and, after a trophyless season last time out, a piece of silverware will give them that second wind required.

Arsenal will falter again but there is no better team in the Premier League and City and Aston Villa do not look capable of putting together a long winning run to overhaul them.

The Gunners have the best squad and Arteta has accepted that Gabriel Jesus is a better striker than Viktor Gyokeres. And Kai Havertz’s return will provide more goals.

The two big factors against Arsenal is the pressure - close to fear - from their fans which the players and the managers clearly feel. And the fixture congestion. No team has ever won the Quadruple for a reason and going far in all four competitions will only sap the energy from the Arsenal squad. The freshness of United - out of all the cups and not in Europe - was a key factor in their stunning Emirates win.

The Gunners face a tricky visit to Elland Road on Saturday but have very winnable matches throughout February although they could without Spurs sacking Thomas Frank just before their visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But avoiding defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday April 18 should be enough for a first Premier League title in 22 years.

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