What Happens If Arsenal and Man City Finish on the Same Points

The Premier League title race is really heating up heading into the final months of the 2025-26 season, with both Arsenal and Manchester City in with a huge chance of lifting the trophy. But what happens if nothing can separate the two English giants?

Well, it’s a scenario that’s never been seen before. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners hold the advantage as things stand with superior points (36) and goal difference (+36) tallies. At the time of writing, City are five points and four goals behind, while still having a game in hand to play.

Related

Supercomputer Predicts 2025-26 Premier League Table in Full

The Premier League table could look very different in some key areas by the time May rolls around.

If both sides keep winning matches, it could all be decided by their upcoming clash at the Etihad Stadium. While Pep Guardiola’s men hold home advantage for that match, they must win if Arsenal are to take three points in all of their other matches.

Arsenal and Man City’s Potential Never-Seen-Before Scenario

If the two clubs were to finish the season level on points, then it’s well known that the next port of call would be goal difference. At this stage, it’s not outrageous to suggest that Arsenal and City could also tie on that metric.

Should that be the case, the team with the most goals scored would take home the trophy. At the time of writing, Arsenal lead that column in the table by a single effort, having found the net 58 times compared to Man City’s 57.

Things then start to get even more technical as the same points, goal difference and goals scored would lead officials to look at the head-to-head records when the two sides met. After the 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the campaign, the same result at the Etihad would make matters even more complicated.

Should that match end in a draw with a different scoreline, then the team with the most away goals in those head-to-head clashes would be crowned champions. If the title rivals still can’t be separated, which is extremely unlikely, admittedly, then they would have to face each other in a one-off playoff match at a neutral venue. This has never happened before.

Man City Won the Closest Title Race Ever

Guardiola is no stranger to incredibly close title races, having beaten Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to the trophy by a one-point margin in two different seasons (2018-19 & 2021-22). That narrow margin has only ever happened in four other Premier League campaigns, including Arsenal’s 1997-98 triumph.

However, the Citizens’ supporters have been through an even more tense fight for the title. Back in 2011-12, many will remember Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp winner to seal the club’s first-ever Premier League crown over bitter rivals Manchester United. Roberto Mancini’s side emerged with the trophy due to their superior goal difference after finishing level on points (89) with the Red Devils.