Manchester City roared back into the Premier League title race, with Arsenal’s position now in question after Gameweek 33 of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Gameweek 33 of the 2025/26 Premier League season did not close any race outright, but it changed the mood around the table in a way that felt impossible to ignore, because the biggest clubs all seemed to leave the weekend with very different levels of confidence, pressure and control.

The headline act came at the Etihad, where Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 in a result that did more than trim the gap at the top, as it turned a Premier League title race that had been leaning Arsenal’s way into one that now carries real City momentum.

Arsenal have dropped to second in the standings, as City’s win over Burnley on Wednesday has lifted them level on 70 points with the North London club. That is a major shift, because Arsenal have gone from managing the run-in to facing the possibility that even a small slip could cost them the title.

The significance of the weekend stretched far beyond the title fight. Manchester United strengthened their top-five push by beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool found a huge late derby win over Everton through Virgil van Dijk, and Aston Villa’s victory over Sunderland kept them firmly in the Champions League conversation as well.

At the other end, Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion did little to ease the growing fear around their position, while West Ham’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace allowed them to preserve a small but valuable gap over the bottom three.

So while Gameweek 33 offered drama in the usual Premier League sense, it also delivered something more important: clarity, with Manchester City surging, Arsenal wobbling, Manchester United and Liverpool taking advantage, Chelsea falling away, and Tottenham sinking deeper into trouble

Manchester City roar back into the Premier League title race

Manchester City have forced a major turn in the title race, and their 2-1 win over Arsenal felt bigger than three points because it shifted belief, pressure and control in one afternoon. Pep Guardiola’s men have subsequently risen to 70 points after beating Burnley on Wednesday, level on points with the North London club.

That is why Pep Guardiola’s side suddenly look like the team with the clearest route to the title, because they have gone from chasing the Gunners to being the pace-setters. What stands out most is the timing of City’s surge. Their win over Arsenal was not just a statement result against a direct rival, but the sort of moment that can redefine a run-in, especially when it comes with the chance to go top by winning the extra game.

Manchester City’s narrow 1-0 win over Burnley added another layer to their title push, because it was the sort of result that can look routine on the day but prove enormous by the end of the season. Erling Haaland’s early goal was enough to get the job done, and the bigger consequence was that Pep Guardiola’s side moved to the top of the Premier League, now level on points with Arsenal but ahead on the tie-breaker.

If the run-in goes perfectly for both teams, this title race could easily be decided on goal difference, which makes every extra goal and every missed chance feel even more important from here. From here, City can win the league because the equation is simple: keep winning and the pressure stays on Arsenal, while the psychological edge now belongs to the champions.

Can a bruised Arsenal respond in the race?

Arsenal are still top of the Premier League table, but Gameweek 33 left them looking far more vulnerable than they did only a short while ago. Back-to-back league defeats, first to Bournemouth and then to Manchester City, have changed the mood around their challenge, because what had looked like a position of control is now a lead that can disappear quickly.

Arsenal remain on 70 points from 33 matches, yet with City level and leapfrogging the Gunners on goals scored, Mikel Arteta’s men are no longer setting the pace with the same authority. That leaves Arsenal with very little margin for error.

They may now need to win every remaining match, and they also need to keep scoring, as they have netted fewer goals than Manchester City. So yes, Arsenal can still get back in the race, but from this point it feels less like a Premier League title defence of position and more like a chase for perfection

Liverpool, Manchester United to cement top-five place?

Liverpool and Manchester United both took important steps in the Premier League top-five race, though they did it in slightly different ways. Manchester United’s 1-0 away win over Chelsea was the cleaner, more direct statement, because it pushed them to 58 points and opened a significant gap over one of the teams trying to track them down.

Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Everton was more dramatic, settled by a late Virgil van Dijk winner, but it may prove just as important because it kept them fifth on 55 points and maintained forward momentum at a decisive stage of the season.

Manchester United now look to have given themselves a proper platform for UEFA Champions League qualification. They are third on goal difference, level on 58 points with Aston Villa, and that gives them both breathing space and a clear target over the final weeks.

Liverpool are not as comfortable, but they are still in the strongest of the chasing positions, and derby wins of that kind can often supply the belief needed for a strong finish. Along with Aston Villa, these two sides now look like the favourites to finish in the top five because they have points on the board, momentum from the weekend, and a significant separation from Chelsea and others below them.

Chelsea spiralling towards the Europa League or worse?

Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester United felt like a damaging blow not only because it was another loss, but because it came at home and against a team they needed to pull closer to. They remain sixth on 48 points after 33 matches, which leaves them 10 points behind both Manchester United and Aston Villa and seven behind Liverpool in fifth.

In a race where timing matters, the Blues are moving in the wrong direction. The immediate concern is that their performances are not turning into results, and that keeps feeding the same pressure. Their problems deepened badly in the 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, a result that did far more than simply add another loss to an already worrying run.

Brighton were sharper, faster and more decisive throughout, scoring through Ferdi Kadioglu, Jack Hinshelwood and Danny Welbeck, while Chelsea once again failed to find a response in front of goal. The most damaging part is not just the scoreline, but the way it fits into a grim trend: Chelsea have now lost five straight league games without scoring, a sequence that has dragged their season into crisis territory.

The ramifications are severe because Brighton have now overtaken Chelsea in the table, leapfrogging them into sixth place and pushing the Blues further away from the top-five picture. Additionally, it cost Liam Rosenior his job as the head coach.

Chelsea remain on 48 points, but the gap above them has grown while the teams around them have found momentum, which leaves them with little room left for another flat display. Their next task is no longer about chasing the top five with confidence; it is about stopping the slide before the season gets away from them completely.

Tottenham, West Ham continue to spice up the relegation race

Tottenham’s draw with Brighton & Hove Albion did little to ease the sense that they are drifting toward serious danger. BBC Sport described time as running out in Spurs’ relegation fight, and the table shows why: they are 18th on 31 points from 33 games, still inside the bottom three.

An entertaining 2-2 draw may have offered moments of spirit, but it was not the result they badly needed, and the broader problem is that draws and near-misses are no longer enough. West Ham, on the other hand, did what teams in this part of the table often have to do: they took something from a difficult match and protected the gap.

Their goalless stalemate at Crystal Palace moved them to 32 points from 32 games, two points above Tottenham and the bottom three. That does not make them safe, but it does mean they remain in slightly better shape because they are still finding practical ways to inch forward, whereas Tottenham are carrying the weight of a side that has slipped into crisis mode