Arsenal on brink of Premier League title after Manchester City's chaotic 3-3 draw at Everton

Key facts

• Manchester City drew 3-3 with Everton on Monday Night Football after conceding three goals in 13 minutes.
• Arsenal hold a five-point lead over City with three games remaining; City have one game in hand.
• If Arsenal win all three remaining fixtures, they will be champions regardless of City's results.
• The earliest Arsenal could clinch the title is May 13, if City lose to Brentford and Arsenal beat West Ham.
• Jamie Carragher stated on Sky Sports: 'If Arsenal win against West Ham next Sunday, they win the league.'
• Thierry Henry warned that West Ham could be Arsenal's 'Everton' and give the title race another twist.
• Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday before the West Ham match.

A 13-minute collapse reshapes the title race

Manchester City's pursuit of a fifth Premier League title in six seasons suffered a critical blow on Monday night as they squandered a lead and were held to a 3-3 draw by Everton at Goodison Park. The result leaves Pep Guardiola's side five points behind Arsenal with only one match in hand, handing the initiative back to Mikel Arteta's team. City had taken the lead through Jeremy Doku's first-half strike, but a catastrophic 13-minute spell saw Everton score three times, exposing defensive frailties that have been uncharacteristic of the champions. Erling Haaland pulled one back immediately after the restart, and Doku's superb strike in added time salvaged a point, but the damage to City's title hopes may prove irreparable.

Arsenal's path to the title is now clear

Arsenal now control their own destiny: win their remaining three matches — against West Ham, Burnley, and one other opponent — and they will be crowned champions for the first time in 22 years. The Gunners travel to the London Stadium on Sunday to face a West Ham side fighting relegation, a fixture that Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes will decide the title. 'If Arsenal win that game away next Sunday, they have won the league,' Carragher said on Monday Night Football. 'They will beat Burnley absolutely no problem at home. I think it's on West Ham away, and Manchester City need maximum points then to take it to the last day.'

City's fate is no longer in their own hands

For Manchester City, the equation is now stark: they must win all four of their remaining fixtures and hope Arsenal drop points. Guardiola's side face Brentford at home on Saturday, followed by Crystal Palace on May 13, then two more matches to close the season. If Arsenal beat West Ham, City would need to win every game just to keep the race alive until the final day. Guardiola acknowledged the shift in momentum after the match. 'We have lost control of the title race,' he said. 'We needed to win here and we didn't. Now we depend on others.' The draw at Everton marks only the second time this season City have dropped points from a winning position, a statistic that underscores the uncharacteristic nature of their collapse.

The earliest Arsenal could seal the title: May 13

Mathematically, Arsenal could wrap up the championship as early as Wednesday, May 13, when Manchester City host Crystal Palace. For that to happen, City would need to lose at home to Brentford on Saturday, and Arsenal would need to beat West Ham the following day. Such a combination would leave City eight points behind with only nine points left to play for, meaning even a draw against Palace would leave them seven or eight points adrift with six points available. More realistically, if Arsenal win all three of their remaining games, they will finish on 89 points, and City can at best reach 88 points even if they win all four of theirs. The Gunners' goal difference is also superior, providing an additional buffer.

West Ham looms as a potential stumbling block

Despite the favourable outlook, former of caution, warning that West Ham could play the role of Everton for Arsenal. 'Now it's back in Arsenal's hands. It's not in Man City's hands anymore,' Henry said. 'I said earlier that I could see City dropping points against Everton and that I'm worried about the West Ham game.' West Ham, managed by David Moyes, are fighting to avoid relegation and have proven capable of upsetting top sides, as they demonstrated by holding City to a draw earlier this season. The match at the London Stadium on Sunday will be played in a charged atmosphere, with Arsenal also carrying the emotional weight of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

A week that could define Arsenal's season

Arsenal's week is monumental: on Tuesday, they face Atletico Madrid at the Emirates with a chance to reach their first Champions League final since 2006. Then, on Sunday, they travel to West Ham with the Premier League title potentially within reach. Carragher highlighted the synergy between the two competitions, suggesting that the energy from a Champions League triumph could propel Arsenal to the league crown. 'From an Arsenal point of view, tonight is all about the league but I think tomorrow, can you imagine the excitement?' Carragher said. 'Get to the Champions League final, the league is in your hands with two or three weeks to go.' The Gunners have not won a top-flight title since the 2003-04 'Invincibles' season, and the prospect of ending that drought has electrified their fan base.

The title race enters its final act

With three games remaining for Arsenal and four for Manchester City, the Premier League title race has been reduced to a high-stakes drama. City's 13-minute implosion at Goodison Park has given Arsenal the advantage, but the Gunners must navigate a tricky trip to West Ham and maintain focus amid the distraction of a Champions League campaign. For City, the margin for error has vanished. Guardiola's side must win every match and hope for an Arsenal slip. The next seven days will determine whether Arsenal's 22-year wait ends in glory or whether City, as they have so often, find a way to prevail. As Henry put it, the title is back in Arsenal's hands — but holding on to it will require nerve, precision, and perhaps a touch of luck.

The bottom line

• Arsenal lead Manchester City by five points with three games left; City have one game in hand but no longer control their destiny.
• City's 3-3 draw at Everton, in which they conceded three goals in 13 minutes, was a pivotal moment in the title race.
• Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal will win the league if they beat West Ham on Sunday, citing the difficulty of the remaining fixtures for City.
• Thierry Henry warned that West Ham could be a 'trap game' for Arsenal, similar to Everton's challenge for City.
• The earliest Arsenal can clinch the title is May 13, contingent on City losing to Brentford and Arsenal beating West Ham.
• Arsenal face a defining week with a Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid followed by the crucial league match at West Ham.