Arsenal’s nerve-shredding 1-0 win at West Ham on May 10 put them within touching distance of the promised land.
If the Gunners win their final two games of the domestic season against relegated Burnley and Conference League finalists Crystal Palace and they will be Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years, irrespective of results elsewhere.
Manchester City are still in the title hunt and play their game in hand against Crystal Palace on May 13. Victory at the Etihad Stadium would move Pep Guardiola’s side to within two points of Mikel Arteta’s leaders.
However, if City drop any more points from this stage onwards, it is likely to bring Arsenal‘s moment of glory forward.
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When can Arsenal win the Premier League title?
As the Premier League moves down the finishing straight, there are three possible dates when Arsenal could be crowned champions
Monday, May 18: Arsenal vs. Burnley
If City fail to beat Crystal Palace, they will be either four or five points behind Arsenal with two matches to play.
If Arsenal then win their final home game of the season against Burnley, they will have an unassailable lead of seven or eight points, giving the Emirates Stadium faithful a title party.
However, if City win against Palace, there is no way an Arsenal victory over Burnley can be decisive.
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Tuesday, May 19: Bournemouth vs. Man City
City will not play a Premier League game on the weekend of May 16-17 as they face Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
As such, their penultimate match of the season at Bournemouth has been moved to the final midweek, three days after the cup final and five before the Premier League finale.
On paper, it looks like City’s most troublesome remaining fixture, with Bournemouth on a long unbeaten run, still firmly in the hunt for European football and with the Vitality Stadium crowd surely keen to give boss Andoni Iraola a big send-off.
If City are still in the hunt at this point, but Arsenal have beaten Burnley, they must beat the Cherries to take the title race to the final day with a two-point deficit.
Sunday, May 24 – Final day of the Premier League season
If City win their matches against Palace and Bournemouth, it will all come down to this.
Arsenal travel to Selhurst Park to take on Palace, a tricky assignment on paper but one probably softened by the likelihood that Oliver Glasner’s side will have one eye on their Conference League final showdown with Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.
The easiest equation for Arsenal is to beat Palace and win the title by two or more points. If City win out and the Gunners draw against Burnley or Palace, then the race will come down to goal difference.
If Arsenal beat neither Burnley or Palace, or lose one of those games and… well, that really doesn’t bear thinking about for Gunners everywhere. Surely not?
