Premier League Matchweek 24: Tottenham Are Back to Have a Say in the Title Race

Sunday’s meeting between Tottenham and Manchester City is one of those fixtures in the Premier League title picture, that has Arsenal watching knowing that events in north London could determine what happens at the top of the table.

Manchester City travel to Spurs knowing that Arsenal still hold the lead, even if narrow. The league leaders are four points clear heading into the weekend, but they play first.

Arsenal go to Leeds on Saturday, while City must wait until Sunday, which means the picture could already be clearer by the time Pep Guardiola’s side walk out in north London.

For Tottenham, though, their own league position is removed from the picture, but their result could still carry consequences for those chasing it.

There is history here, and it is recent. Earlier in the season, Spurs went to the Etihad and came away with a 2-0 league win that few saw coming. That was one of the rarest home losses City have suffered this campaign, and is everything you need to know that Tottenham can still disrupt the very best on their day.

For Arsenal, it starts a day earlier at Elland Road. Mikel Arteta’s side travel there as league leaders, but not in good form.

The Gunners have gone three league matches without a win and were beaten 3-2 at home by Manchester United last time out, a result that trimmed their lead and reopened the door for City and Aston Villa.

The Whites are in the lower half of the table but their recent run makes them awkward opponents. They have lost only once in ten league games (W3, D6) and have been competitive at home, even against stronger sides.

Still, Arsenal will take belief from what happened in the reverse fixture. At the Emirates Stadium, they swept Leeds aside with a 5-0 win, in one of their most convincing plays so far this season. That memory travels with them, along with the knowledge that a win on Saturday would place real pressure on both City and Villa. A draw or a loss would change everything—bringing back the unwanted memories of recent seasons.

Not to rule out Unai Emery and his Villains, Aston Villa are part of this conversation as well. Their match may not carry the same noise as Spurs against City, but the points count the same.

Tottenham’s own season explains why this situation is strange. In the league, they have struggled for consistency, dropping points too often and finding it difficult to put sustained runs together. In Europe, the picture has looked different, with stronger performances and progress on the continental stage while league form has lagged behind.

That has followed them all season and frames this City match as another test of who they are right now.

What Arsenal would not want is what happened two seasons ago when City visited Tottenham late in the campaign. 

Spurs lost 2-0, but the moment everyone remembers was around the 87th minute, when Son Heung-min found himself clean through and was denied by Stefan Ortega.

That miss was part of the title story, as City went on to beat Arsenal to it.

Then-coach Ange Postecoglou addressed the issue head-on that time, when there were talks that some fans might accept defeat if it hurt Arsenal. The Greek boss said he could not understand wanting your own team to lose, insisting Spurs would always play to win.

“I understand rivalry. I was part of one of the biggest ones in the world in the last couple of years with Celtic and Rangers,” he told BBC Sport.

“But I’ve never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose. That's not what sport is about. It's not what I love about the game.”

Now, Spurs are back in that space again. Arsenal will hope their north London rivals take points from City. Pep Guardiola’s side will expect to respond, especially if Arsenal do their job at Leeds.

Aston Villa will watch both results, knowing that their own match could mean more. And Tottenham, sitting in the middle of it all, have another chance to remind everyone that even in a season like this, they still have the power to shape the Premier League title race.