What Arsenal fans did vs Man United offers Man City clear title boost as Mikel Arteta forced into plea

Manchester City are now just four points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table in an absorbing title race

When Manchester City landed back in England after a dismal defeat to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night, challenging for honours at home and abroad will have felt a long way off.

City fell out of the top eight of the League Phase with the loss in Norway and had been outplayed by Manchester United in a derby day nightmare just a few days before. City's nearest rivals Arsenal, clear at the top of the Premier League, dismantled Inter Milan on their own patch in midweek to make it seven wins from seven in the Champions League and earn a top two spot with a game to spare.

City, meanwhile, are facing the prospect of a play-off game and hadn't won a Premier League game in 2026, collecting three points from a possible 12. Fastforwad to Sunday evening and the title race momentum feels like it is back in Manchester. Pep Guardiola's side strolled to a commanding victory over Wolves on Saturday to cut Arsenal's lead at the top to four points, and a nervous Gunners side faltered under the pressure as Manchester United became the first team to win at the Emirates this season with a dramatic 3-2 success.

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There was a smattering of boos from the home fans as the final whistle sounded on Sunday evening, emphasising the angst being felt amongst Arsenal supporters. They've seen this movie before and are desperate not to see it again.

That might have explained some of the nervousness around the ground against United as Arsenal, who led 1-0, struggled to manage the situation and folded to defeat. It means the Gunners are now three without a win in the league ahead of a tricky looking trip to Elland Road on Saturday.

After the game Arteta, speaking to Sky Sports, pleaded for the Arsenal fans to stick with the side as the pressure mounts in the title race.

Asked if he felt he needed to remind supporters of the position the Gunners find themselves in, he said: "I hope we don't have to do that, because they know. We need them when we don't win. When we win it's easy.

"When we lose a game we have to show togetherness, and unity, the energy to get where we want. Defeats are part of that for us and for any team."

Arteta didn't feel nerves played a part in the defeat, instead feeling his team simply weren't good enough to win the game.

"I wouldn't use that word (nerves)," he said. "We were brilliant against Inter. Brilliant. But sometimes you don't have that day - we need to do the simple things much better today."