Pep can still think of a way

 City can still use head-to-head games to tilt EPL title race.

It’s not over: it’s just no longer in Manchester City’s hands.

City’s loss of two points they thought were in the bag against Forest has not handed the title to Arsenal – as some are suggesting.

Pep Guardiola’s men are now seven points behind the leaders and have 27 to play for, the Gunners 24.

Put like that, it sounds a lot different from a “seven-point gap”. City, of course, has a game in hand.

But the two still have to meet twice in the coming weeks.

Even though there are no points at stake in one of them, both matches could be pivotal in the title race.

First up, on Sunday, March 22, is the Carabao Cup final.

The much-maligned fourth trophy in the pecking order – and for Arsenal, the Quadruple is still a possibility – will assume extra meaning this year.

No points, of course, but a container load of bragging rights could be at stake.

It’s a great chance for a statement victory.

It could mean a huge psychological advantage for the winners, depending on how they win.

A narrow, fortuitous victory on pens or after extra time may not change much, but a hammering could.

That’s unlikely, as there is barely a tobacco leaf from one of Pep’s cigars separating the two teams.

But in recent experience of Wembley finals?

City can almost claim squatters’ rights as Wembley is their second home. “Etihad South,” as fans like to call it.

Given Arsenal’s desperation to win, City’s experience has to make them favourites on this occasion.

The second clash, in which points could decide the title, is at The Etihad on April 18.

They will have only five league games apiece after that, but both clubs could still be involved in crucial Cup matches.

The FA Cup semi-finals are a week later, and the first legs of Champions League semis are less than 10 days after that.

There are still two more rounds to go in each competition, but if one side gets knocked out of both and the other survives, the advantage could swing back to the losers.

Fatigue, injuries and just too much football could lead to burnout.

And it could boil down to a psychological advantage versus a physical edge.

Among many imponderables, it is not beyond the realms that they could have to play each other again in one or both competitions.

Burnout may be the price they pay for being head and shoulders above anyone else in the EPL.

And now they are appreciating the depth they have, as both have been badly hit by injuries.

Arsenal seemed to have cover for every eventuality, but there are still players they cannot do without.

Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Martin Odegaard have all gone missing at different times of the season, while Kai Havertz has only just come back.

For City, key man and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is only just returning to full fitness after an ACL injury against Arsenal in October 2024.

Meanwhile, their defence has been hit so badly that there is rarely a game when a midfielder isn’t operating as a makeshift full-back.

But Pep is nothing if not a believer that in every crisis, there is an opportunity.

And having been forced to field Mateus Nunes and Nick O’Reilly in defensive roles, he has seen them become more complete players.

For O’Reilly, it has been a breakout season with a World Cup place for England within his grasp.

Nunes, already a certain starter for Portugal, has reinvented himself after looking destined to become the next Kalvin Phillips.

But Pep has missed his two Croatians, Mateo Kovacic being out for the entire season. Josko Gvardiol is another big miss, breaking his leg at the turn of the year.

With John Stones and Ruben Dias also out, City was forced to buy Marc Guehi in the January window.

The England international and Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo have adapted as if to the manor born and rejuvenated City at just the right time.

It’s still not the City of old, and Wednesday’s draw against relegation-threatened Forest was totally unexpected.

You feel the 2023/24 side would have found a way, but City were pegged back by two Forest goals for which you can’t legislate.

Meanwhile, Arsenal again displayed mastery of the dark arts to eke out a 1-0 win at Brighton.

It’s a pity the rivalry is one that many in the game are wishing both could lose.

Neither club is popular, albeit for very different reasons.

Arsenal are not appealing to neutrals, with their heavy reliance on set-pieces.

On the field, City are an easier watch, but where the dark arts apply to them is in the corridors of power.

The case against the club has lasted only one year less than the Ukraine War.

And there is no end in sight in either.

The longer we have to wait for a verdict, the less likely it seems that City can be found guilty.

If they are to be punished, anything retrospective would make a farce of the last three seasons and perhaps beyond.

But back to the pitch. City certainly has a tougher-looking challenge away from the league, with an FA Cup tie at Newcastle followed by a visit to Real Madrid next week.

Arsenal has to go to Mansfield (16th in League One) in the Cup and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

What makes the two-horse title race so fascinating is that all these extracurricular games can have an effect.

Guardiola and Mikel Arteta know each other so well that they will be trying to second-guess their opponent’s every move.

It’s a master versus apprentice. The Overthinker versus The Over-anxious.

But Pep has mellowed. It might be enough. - FMT

 The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.