The Premier League title race: Arsenal or Manchester City finishing first in the final stretch of the season?

Arsenal's surprising 1-2 loss to Bournemouth has created a "golden" chance for Manchester City to reduce the distance in the title race. Let's look at how this contest is unfolding.

After the match at Emirates concluded, Manchester City still trailed Arsenal by 9 points. However, their visit to Chelsea on Sunday is the first of two postponed matches for Pep Guardiola's team. More notably, they also have a direct clash with Arsenal at Etihad next Sunday.

The Saturday defeat forced Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta stated, to "stand up and fight… otherwise they will be eliminated from the race."

Meanwhile, Manchester City already secured a trophy this season by defeating Arsenal to win the Carabao Cup last month. The question arises: can they overtake Arsenal to claim the Premier League crown? Is Arsenal at risk of losing the championship once again? Or do they possess the resilience to withstand Guardiola's forces and win their first Premier League title in 22 years?

Below is the schedule and analysis of the final stretch for both teams in the remaining period of the season.

April 12: Chelsea vs Manchester City (currently ranked 6th vs 2nd)

Chelsea previously reclaimed a point against Manchester City in stoppage time back in January. Liam Rosenior's team has won only one of their last five Premier League matches, though a FA Cup victory over Port Vale (Third Division) ended a four-match losing streak.

April 19: Manchester City vs Arsenal (2nd vs 1st)

Arsenal managed a last-minute equalizer when the two teams met in September, but lost in the Carabao Cup final three weeks ago. Although Arsenal haven't won at City's stadium since January 2015, their two most recent visits there ended in draws. This will be the biggest test of character for Arteta and his squad.

This is clearly the biggest opportunity for Manchester City to shorten the gap, especially as they play at home. If they defeat Chelsea and then beat Arsenal, Manchester City could ensure leveling the points if they win their postponed match.

April 22: Burnley vs Manchester City (19th)

If Manchester City wins both Chelsea and Arsenal beforehand, they could rise to the top of the table, provided they score enough goals to surpass Arsenal's goal difference (currently trailing by 6). Burnley faces relegation risk and lost 1-5 to City in September. This match occurs just three days after the showdown with Arsenal and three days before the FA Cup semi-final, so Guardiola might rotate the squad… while also delivering a strong psychological blow to Arsenal.

April 25: Arsenal vs Newcastle (13th)

In that scenario, Arsenal would soon have a chance to reclaim the top spot as they play two matches before Manchester City resumes play. Arsenal previously won at Newcastle this season, while Eddie Howe's team lost 3 of their last 5 matches. However, Newcastle defeated Arsenal three times last season.

May 2: Arsenal vs Fulham (11th)

If Arsenal remains in the Champions League, this match will occur between the semi-final legs, becoming a test of stamina and squad depth. Arsenal defeated Fulham 1-0 back in October.

May 4: Everton vs Manchester City (8th)

Everton still has a chance for European qualification after a positive season under David Moyes. Manchester City beat them 2-0 in October, and Everton's home record isn't particularly strong (lost 6 out of 16), which could benefit Guardiola.

May 9: Manchester City vs Brentford (7th)

Although Brentford is currently 6th, Manchester City has beaten them twice this season and will continue playing at Etihad with home crowd support.

May 10: West Ham vs Arsenal (17th)

West Ham is reviving in the relegation battle after a 4-0 victory over Wolves. However, if Tottenham wins on Sunday, they could fall back into the danger zone. That means West Ham likely still needs to fight fiercely for points, making Arsenal's task more difficult.

May 17: Arsenal vs Burnley (19th)

Burnley is almost certainly relegated, having not won in their last 7 matches and might have already dropped before this match occurs. Burnley also hasn't defeated Arsenal in their last 6 encounters.

May 17: Bournemouth (10th) vs Manchester City

Bournemouth has lost to City twice this season, including a 1-3 defeat in November. With Arsenal almost guaranteed points against Burnley, any slip-up by City in this match would be costly.

May 24: Crystal Palace (14th) vs Arsenal

Palace is essentially playing for pride as they stand mid-table and might aim for the Conference League final on May 27. Arsenal has beaten Palace twice at home this season, but both were tight: 1-0 in the Premier League and a penalty shootout win in the League Cup.

May 24: Manchester City vs Aston Villa (4th)

This could be City's second toughest challenge after the direct clash with Arsenal, as they lost 0-1 at Villa Park in October. Aston Villa is also strengthened by the return of Youri Tielemans from injury.

Schedule not yet determined: Manchester City vs Crystal Palace (14th)

Palace previously defeated City in the FA Cup final last season but lost 0-3 in December. This match lacks a specific schedule because City participated in the Carabao Cup final.

In which other competitions are Arsenal and Manchester City still competing?

Arsenal was eliminated from the FA Cup by Southampton but remains in the Champions League. They lead Sporting CP by one goal ahead of the quarter-final return leg. If they advance, they will face Atletico Madrid or Barcelona in the semi-finals. If they reach the final on May 30, Arsenal could have up to four matches outside the Premier League.

Manchester City was eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid but remains in the FA Cup. They face Southampton on April 25, with the semi-final being a single match. If they reach the final, City would have only up to two matches outside the Premier League.

When will City play the postponed match against Palace?

Manchester City's postponed match against Crystal Palace was delayed from March 21 due to the Carabao Cup final. Rescheduling faces difficulties because Palace is still competing in the Conference League. If Palace reaches the semi-finals, the weeks between late April and early May are fully booked.

Possible gaps are April 23-24 or the weeks of May 12-14 and May 19-21. Additionally, if City reaches the FA Cup final on May 16, the match against Bournemouth on May 17 must also be rescheduled. This could make Manchester City's final stretch densely packed but also opens scenarios deciding the championship race until the final round.