Premier League title race LIVE: Man City win taking advantage of Arsenal's defeat

Man City have psychological edge over Arsenal - Rooney

From one former Manchester United player to another - Wayne Rooney, on his BBC Sport podcast, says Manchester City "will have the edge" psychologically in the Premier League title race.

He said City "know how to win the title" and "have a manager who knows how to do it".

"I think City will have the edge on that, just purely the manager and players they've got. They will be able to stay a little calmer than the Arsenal players," said the former England captain on The Wayne Roonery Show.

"They will be worried because when you go on a run and lose a few games, you start thinking 'where's the next goal, the next win going to come from?' That negative mindset really has an impact on your performance."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer.

Neville on what Arsenal have to believe

"Arenal can win the title next weekend at the Etihad," said Gary Neville on his podcast.

"Maybe I've got more faith in Arsenal than Arsenal have got in themselves, but when you are in a title race, you're six games out and you've lost a football match, you've got to put it into perspective.

"I have thought for a number of years with this Arsenal team that they've got to go and win a game that shakes the world. They've got to go to City next week and win."

That's the carrot for Arsenal, but Neville warns, as if he needed to, that it won't be easy.

"Did they really ever expect that they were going to be handed their first title on a plate by Pep Guardiola and this Manchester City team, or by the Premier League? It doesn't happen like that," added the former Manchester United defender.

"You don't win your first title by running away with it by 26 points - it just doesn't happen. That's not reality. It's always going to be a struggle, and there's probably been a couple of bad experiences in the previous seasons in getting to this point.

"So everything that's happened to them, if they can normalise it and feel that 'this is what we would have expected, no one was just going to hand it to us on a plate and we were going to basically sail over the line and do a victory lap. It's not going to work like that, and this is what it should be'.

"That's what Arsenal have got to believe this week."

'It's a big punch in the face'

Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to TNT Sports after Saturday's defeat at home to Bournemouth: "Disappointing. It's a big punch in the face and it's about how we react now. They are a team who haven't lost for 11 games for a reason, they did a lot right.

"We were far from efficient. The first chance they had to attack the box, it's a deflection, a bad defending action and it's a goal. That's something we have to recover from.

"The second half you expect a different game. We did a lot of strange things today.

"We have been very consistent. This can happen, this is football."

On whether the players are hurting: "A lot. It has to hurt. They have to take it on the chin. You stand up and go for the fight or you're out.

"It's a big week. A lot at stake. We're still in a good position in both competitions."

'If they beat us it's over'

Chelsea 0-3 Man City

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke to BBC Match of the Day on next weekend's game against Arsenal: "It's important because we are six points behind them, if they beat us it's over, if we draw also.

"Now we prepare, relax, don't listen much. Before the Carabao Cup final we were underdogs. We have to be calm, prepare, because Arsenal is an extraordinary team. We have that game, but it's game-by-game.

"We have long weeks to recover. Its a pity we could not be better in Champions League. The Premier League is about how you grow the team.

"The team feel fresh, everyone is there. We have six games left and FA Cup semi-final. It doesn't look much, but it is a lot. Many things are going to happen."

Watch Pep Guardiola's full post-match interview here...

Top two's title run-in

Shamoon Hafez

BBC Sport reporter

One thing which is arguably in Arsenal's favour is the run-in.

While Sunday's match between the top two at Etihad Stadium remains the standout fixture, the Gunners' remaining five games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have to face Europe-chasing Everton and Brentford, as well as rounding off the campaign at home to Champions League contenders Aston Villa.

"If they beat us it's over, if we draw also," said Guardiola, of this weekend's crunch home clash against Arsenal.

If City are able to win and further close the gap between the sides, they could actually be top of the table by the time Arsenal next play at Emirates Stadium.

City travel to Burnley on Wednesday, 22 April. Another victory in that match would send them to the summit with five to play...

Arsenal must 'swim against the tide and hold their nerve'

Gary Neville said in his commentary on Sky Sports, following Manchester City's win at Chelsea, that Pep Guardiola's side are "smelling blood" in the title race as they head into a "monstrous clash" at home to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

However, in 'The Gary Neville Podcast', the former Manchester United and England defender said the Gunners had to "swim against the tide and hold their nerve".

"I said a few months ago that Arsenal have to win this title from the position that they're in and I still believe they have to because it's a long road back at the end of the season. If they don't win it this year, it will really be traumatic," he said, after Arsenal finished second in the past three seasons.

"We know the build-up to the game next week, what the narrative is going to be against Arsenal - that Man City are going to catch you, and there seems to be a sense of joy watching Arsenal collapse. They've got to try and swim against the tide and hold their nerve."

And he added: "They've got to find a balance of that emotion that you need, which is passion and fight to win a football match, but not becoming too desperate.

"This is where it gets real. This is the title race now, and they've got to somehow clear their minds and get that emotional balance correct."

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