How many wins Man City need to secure Premier League title as Arsenal hold their nerve

Arsenal lead Manchester City by five points at the top of the Premier League with nine games remaining - as the title race enters its crucial final stretch

Manchester City are just five points from Arsenal after edging to a 1-0 victory at Leeds United, with Antoine Semenyo netting the only goal for the Citizens. As the campaign enters its final stages and the closing months draw near, the title race becomes significantly more complex with additional competitions thrown into the mix.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have reclaimed top spot in the Premier League table following Sunday's hard-fought 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have now strung together back-to-back top-flight wins, suggesting they have recovered from their wobble which saw them drop points away at Brentford and Wolves.

There is still a considerable amount of football to be played in the Champions League and FA Cup, as well as the Carabao Cup final between the two title contenders. Crucially, Arsenal have now played one game more than City, who still need to fulfil a rearranged home fixture against Crystal Palace in the coming months.

Mikel Arteta's side have just nine matches remaining, whilst Pep Guardiola's tenacious challengers still have 10 Premier League games to play. Arsenal sit top on 64 points, with City on 59. The maximum points City can accumulate from this point is 89, and that is only if they beat the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal's maximum tally stands at 91 points, and that's only if they manage to beat City at the Etihad in April.

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Significantly, should Arsenal emerge victorious in that fixture, City's maximum points haul would be 86. Under those circumstances, the numbers indicate Arsenal would require 20 further points from their other eight games to secure the title – potentially achieved through six victories and two draws.

Consequently, a haul of 23 points from the Gunners' final nine fixtures, presuming they prevail at City, would be enough to see them lift the trophy.

City also recognise that the title remains achievable because if they claim victory in their final 10 fixtures, they will finish at the top. Should the two EFL Cup finalists draw in April, City would also require Arsenal to surrender more points before the campaign concludes as they would remain two points adrift even after winning their game in hand.

Should the encounter in April finish level, Arsenal would require a total of 25 points from their nine remaining matches to mathematically secure their first Premier League crown since 2004.

It's reasonable to suggest there's a considerable journey ahead for both sides and the highly anticipated showdown at the Etihad in April will play a pivotal role in determining the trophy's destination.

Nevertheless, it's extremely likely that the battle for the title will be decided in the closing stages. City welcome Aston Villa on the final day, whilst Arsenal travel across London to take on Crystal Palace.

As it stands, City are five points behind Arsenal but have a game in hand, which is their upcoming match against Crystal Palace.

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