Arsenal Premier League title race blow confirmed as Man City handed boost in latest twist

Arsenal are well placed to clinch their first Premier League title in more than two decades come May, but have been handed a bitter blow during next month's round of fixtures

Arsenal have been handed a slight blow in their race for the Premier League title, as Manchester City will enjoy a week off while the Gunners are caught up in a congested run of fixtures next month.

With just seven Premier League matches remaining for the Gunners, their participation in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League has complicated matters, as they look for an unprecedented potential quadruple this season.

Next month will see Mikel Arteta's side play a staggering five games in 15 days across all competitions, starting with and April 4 FA Cup quarter-final tie with Southampton on the road. Just three days later, Arsenal travel to Lisbon to take on Sporting CP in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, before they return to Premier League action against Bournemouth at home on April 11.

Their reverse Champions League leg with Sporting then ensues at the Emirates Stadium four days later, before Arsenal run out against City in a six-pointer for the Premier League title on April 19.

As a result of being knocked out of the Champions League to Real Madrid this week 5-1 on aggregate, coupled with Crystal Palace advancing to the next round of the Europa Conference League, meanwhile, Manchester City's load will be a little lighter.

City and Palace were initially set to take on one another on Saturday, March 21, but that match was postponed as a result of Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues making this weekend's Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.

That game could have potentially been rescheduled for the same week that Arsenal play Sporting CP in either of their UCL legs, but that reality is no longer possible with the Eagles set to face Fiorentina on April 9 and April 16.

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As a result, it looks likely that City will instead take on Palace in either late April or May, meaning that they will enjoy a free week off while Arsenal are in the thick of an astonishing five game run with little time for recovery.

Arsenal's April run of fixtures

• Southampton vs Arsenal - FA Cup (A) - Saturday, April 4
• Sporting CP vs Arsenal - Champions League quarter-finals first leg (A) - Tuesday, April 7
• Arsenal vs Bournemouth - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 11
• Arsenal vs Sporting CP - Champions League quarter-finals second leg (H) - Wednesday, April 15
• Manchester City vs Arsenal - Premier League (A) - Saturday, April 19
• Arsenal vs Newcastle United - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 25

Manchester City's April run of fixtures

• Manchester City vs Liverpool - FA Cup (H) - Saturday, April 4
• Chelsea vs Manchester City - Premier League (A) - Sunday, April 12
• Manchester City vs Arsenal - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 19
• Burnley vs Manchester City - Premier League (A) - Sunday, April 26

With City currently holding a game in hand over Arsenal, given that the Gunners and Wolves are the only two teams to have played 31 fixtures thus far this season, it also gives Guardiola a slight advantage on what is needed to dethrone them in their race for their first Premier League title in two decades.

And should Arsenal progress to the semi-finals and ultimately final of the Champions League, Arteta will also see his club's schedule for May impacted further.

The Gunners will already be tasked with matches against Fulham, West Ham, Burnley and Palace, and further games could have an impact on player fitness and potential injury in the crucial stages of the Premier League.