MATHEMATICAL PROOF: ARSENAL WIN OVER SPURS MAKES TITLE RACE IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN
Arsenal's dominant 4-1 derby win over Tottenham positions them as clear Premier League favourites. With a 6-point lead and Europe's best defence, the title is now theirs to lose.
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A year back, Liverpool took down both Manchester City and Real Madrid in the same week. That City win gave the Reds a nine-point lead over Arsenal, who were second, while City, the title holders, lagged 11 points behind. Those games, along with a good November, showed that Liverpool was the top team in England (and maybe Europe for a bit). And they went on to win the league.
Now, Arsenal's 4-1 victory over Tottenham puts them six points ahead of Chelsea, who are second, seven points ahead of City, their main competition, and 11 points ahead of Liverpool, the current title holders. Just like Liverpool last year, the way the Gunners won the derby makes it clear that Arsenal is the best team in the league. They're one of the best in Europe too.
Unless they get hit with a ton of injuries or have a major collapse, Arsenal should be crowned champions in May. Maybe even sooner. Other than a lucky long-range goal from Richarlison, Arsenal totally crushed Spurs. It was a real beating. Eberechi Eze was amazing.
And this was an Arsenal team without key players like Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard. Both would have been playing if they were healthy. Also missing were Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli were just back from injuries and started on the bench.
Those absences didn't matter at the Emirates. Sure, Spurs didn't put up much of a fight. But Arsenal destroyed them and played some great football. They could have scored six goals.
As for their competition? Liverpool is way out of the title race. City, with four losses in 12 games, isn't as unbeatable as it looked last season. Chelsea could still challenge Arsenal, but they have their own problems. They don't seem ready to win the league.
Arsenal has the best defence in the league, even without Gabriel, and maybe the best in Europe. And after easily beating a very defensive Spurs team, their next test is against Bayern Munich at the Emirates in the middle of the week.
Bayern is one of only three teams in the Champions League that have won all four of their games. They've scored three more goals but have also let in three, while Arsenal hasn't let in any in Europe. If they win that game, it'll be another big statement from the Gunners.
Next weekend, they play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. If they win that, Arsenal will almost have the trophy in their hands, just like Liverpool did last year. Things are going their way, with no top-tier title rivals, and Mikel Arteta and his staff deserve a lot of credit for dealing with so many injuries this season.
Arsenal has been preparing for this for a while. They can play beautiful football, like they did against Spurs, but they can also win a physical battle. If you try to park the bus and play for a draw, they'll probably just score from a set piece. They're pretty good at those.
Arteta's Arsenal has its critics, but they're a serious team. It's hard to see anything stopping them from winning the league title in the spring.
DERBY OUTRAGE: PETER BANKES DOUBLES DOWN ON DISALLOWED KOLO MUANI GOAL DESPITE MASSIVE CRITICISM
Referee verdict: Discover why Peter Bankes disallowed Kolo Muani’s goal and Keith Hackett’s "stupid and soft" reaction.
Referee Peter Bankes stood by his call to disallow Randal Kolo Muani’s equaliser in the North London derby, calling it “a very, very clear offence.”
The moment sparked outrage. Gabriel, Arsenal’s defender, hit the deck after Muani’s challenge in the box. Former Premier League referees’ chief Keith Hackett didn’t hold back, calling the decision “stupid and soft".
Bankes didn’t hesitate. He blew for a foul, ruled out the goal, and VAR stayed out of it, even as Spurs fans fumed. That goal would’ve levelled it at 2-2.
Bankes explained on the Match Officials Mic’d Up show: “I was exactly where I needed to be for a cross from the right. I saw the Tottenham player put two hands into the back of the Arsenal player. That’s what grabbed my attention. When you see that live, it looks like a straightforward push – a clear foul.
“I held off on the whistle to let play run, then made the call after the ball went in. That way, VAR could step in if I’d missed something or if it looked off. But honestly, on the pitch, it looked obvious.
“I’m still comfortable with my decision. Sure, things can look different at different speeds; slow motion isn’t the same as seeing it live. But I got one look, and I was confident the two hands on the back had enough impact to be a foul.
“I know people will split on this, but I’m comfortable. That’s a free kick for me.”
The decision was a huge break for Arsenal, who ended up winning 4-1. As far as Spurs fans were concerned, Gabriel got away with one.
Ex-Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher backed Bankes up: “The on-field decision always stands. The ref saw enough for a push. VAR isn’t going to overturn that when the evidence is there.”
THE GIBBS-WHITE PROJECT: WHY MANCHESTER UNITED SEE THE FOREST STAR AS THEIR NEXT PLAYMAKER
United transfer hub. Get the report on wage bill cuts, the Forest playmaker, and City’s rival interest.
Manchester United still have a bit of a wait before the summer transfer window opens, but talk around Old Trafford is already heating up. People keep linking United with all kinds of new signings for when the season wraps up.
Michael Carrick has made quite the impression as United’s interim head coach so far. The club handed him the reins until the end of the season, and honestly, he’s done well with the opportunity.
Still, no one really knows who’ll be in charge next season. That uncertainty just adds fuel to the rumours about which players United will chase in the transfer market.
Right now, everything hinges on Champions League qualification. United sit fourth in the Premier League after a 1-0 win over Everton on Monday night. That spot could make all the difference for summer plans.
Morgan Gibbs-White's claim
Now, United have reportedly joined the hunt for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White. The Daily Mail says United are keeping an eye on the Forest playmaker, maybe even lining up a summer move.
But there’s a snag: United want to bring down their wage bill, and that could make signing Gibbs-White tricky.
Manchester City are also said to be interested, and Tottenham apparently tried to sign the 26-year-old with a £60 million offer, but that move fell apart.
Man United's Scott McTominay stance
As for Scott McTominay, it sounds like United aren’t planning a reunion. Despite recent talk about bringing the Napoli midfielder back, TEAMtalk reports United aren’t interested, and the idea hasn’t even come up in the recruitment department.
Napoli now values McTominay at close to £70 million, just a year and a half after he left United for around £25 million. He made the move to Italy in the summer of 2024 and, in his first season, helped Napoli win the Serie A title.
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