Manchester City have started to look like the one side capable of staying with Arsenal as the season moves into a demanding stretch, as bookmakers have installed them as clear second favourites for the title.
Their meeting with Liverpool had been marked out for weeks as the match that would show whether City still had enough about them to apply real pressure on the Gunners. In the end, it delivered a fairly clear answer. The 3-0 win was calm, controlled and never drifted far from City’s grasp.
Instead of relying on isolated moments, they put the performance together through steady possession, neat movement and a defence that rarely looked troubled. Liverpool found little in any area of the pitch, and City carried an assured feel throughout.
That showing came on the back of a strong Champions League victory over Dortmund, where their attacking play had a sharper look than it did earlier in the campaign. Recent league wins against Bournemouth and Everton point the same way, suggesting the brief slips against Aston Villa and Brighton were more of a jolt than a sign of deeper problems.
The squad now looks settled, key players – particularly runaway top scorer Erling Haaland – are finding rhythm, and Pep Guardiola’s side seem to have rediscovered the level of control that usually sustains them across long stretches of a season.
It is no surprise that the market has reacted, with City shortening to 9/4 on most betting apps and now standing as the most credible challengers to Arsenal.
Arsenal remain the favourites at around 8/13, and that price has stayed steady despite the slight setback at Sunderland. The draw was a reminder that even the best sides occasionally lose their edge, but it barely altered the wider outlook.
Across the campaign, Arsenal have displayed a consistency and structure that has kept them in front. The win over Slavia Prague last midweek reinforced how quickly they settle into their patterns when conditions suit them, and their defensive record both in Europe and domestically remains a major asset.
The next few weeks will give a clearer sense of how firmly they can hold that position. The upcoming run offers little breathing room.
Tottenham at home is often a fixture that produces awkward moments, and Bayern Munich arrive soon after in the Champions League. Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa follow, and each brings a different type of test, making the schedule more demanding than it first appears.
If Arsenal navigate this spell without major damage, their price at the top of the market will only firm up.
The other striking takeaway from the weekend is Liverpool’s slide in the market. The defeat at the Etihad has pushed them out towards double-figure prices with most firms, and their recent results point to a side struggling to sustain any real momentum. The gap between them and the top two has been clear as of late, and it explains why many have begun to rule them out of the picture altogether, as hasty as that may seem for a squad of their quality.
