Arsenal sit top of the Premier League with 79 points from 36 games. Manchester City have 74 from 35. Two games remain for Arsenal, three for City. The title race is coming down to the final days of the season, and every result from now until May 24 carries enormous weight. Here is the complete breakdown of where things stand, what each team needs, and predictions for every GW37 fixture.
For real-time Premier League scores, live tables, and match analytics throughout the run-in, check iscore.ai.
Current Premier League Standings After Matchday 36
The table as it stands after the weekend of May 10-11:
- 1. Arsenal - 79 pts, +42 GD (36 games)
- 2. Manchester City - 74 pts, +40 GD (35 games)
- 3. Manchester United - 65 pts, +15 GD (36 games)
- 4. Liverpool - 59 pts, +12 GD (36 games)
- 5. Aston Villa - 59 pts, +4 GD (36 games)
- 6. Bournemouth - 55 pts, +4 GD (36 games)
- 7. Brighton - 53 pts, +10 GD (36 games)
- 8. Brentford - 50 pts, +2 GD (36 games)
- 9. Newcastle - 48 pts, +1 GD (36 games)
- 10. Chelsea - 47 pts, +3 GD (36 games)
The gap between Arsenal and City is 5 points, but City have a game in hand. If City win that extra match (at Crystal Palace on May 13), the gap shrinks to 2 points with two games left for both teams. That is the scenario that keeps this race alive.
Arsenal's Path to the Title: Win Both and It Is Over
Arsenal's remaining fixtures are straightforward on paper:
- May 18: Burnley (H) - GW37
- May 24: Crystal Palace (A) - GW38
Win both and Arsenal finish on 85 points. City can reach a maximum of 83 points even if they win all three remaining games. The title would be Arsenal's regardless of what anyone else does.
Even 4 points would likely be enough. Arsenal's goal difference of +42 is 2 better than City's +40, and they have scored 68 goals to City's 72. The goal difference is close enough that goal difference alone probably does not decide it, but Arsenal hold the advantage on current numbers.
The Burnley game at the Emirates is the one Arsenal will target for three points. Burnley have been relegated for weeks and have won just 3 of their last 15 matches. They have nothing to play for except pride, and their away record this season is among the worst in the division: 2 wins, 4 draws, 12 defeats.
The final day trip to Selhurst Park is trickier. Crystal Palace under Oliver Glasner are a different proposition at home, and Palace have a habit of making things difficult for title chasers in end-of-season matches. But Arsenal have won their last 6 meetings with Palace in all competitions, and the quality gap between the two squads is significant.
The Champions League final against PSG on May 30 looms in the background. Arteta has said publicly that the Premier League is the priority, and he has the squad depth to rotate without a significant drop in quality. Expect him to name full-strength teams for both league games.
Manchester City's Path: Maximum Pressure, Minimum Margin
City's remaining fixtures:
- May 13: Crystal Palace (A) - Game in hand
- May 16: Chelsea - FA Cup final
- May 19: Bournemouth (A) - GW37
- May 24: Aston Villa (H) - GW38
City must win all three league games and hope Arsenal drop points in at least one match. The FA Cup final against Chelsea on May 16 complicates matters because it falls between two crucial league fixtures, and Pep Guardiola will have to decide whether to rotate his squad or go full strength in both competitions.
The Palace away game on May 13 is the first domino. Drop points there and the title race is effectively over because Arsenal would need just one win from their final two games. Palace are tough at Selhurst Park, and they have taken points off City in 3 of their last 5 home meetings in the Premier League.
The trip to Bournemouth on May 19 is another potential banana skin. Bournemouth are chasing European qualification under Andoni Iraola and have been excellent at home this season. The Vitality Stadium is not a place where teams coast to victories, even when they are chasing titles.
City's best chance is that Arsenal's Champions League final preparation creates a distraction or a fatigue problem. If Arsenal wrap up the title early, they can rotate and rest players for Budapest. If the race goes to the final day, Arsenal will have played a competitive match just 6 days before the biggest game in their modern history.
GW37 Key Fixtures and Predictions
Here are the GW37 fixtures with predictions:
Aston Villa vs Liverpool (May 15, 20:00)
Both teams are level on 59 points and effectively playing for the same Champions League qualifying spot. Villa's home form has been inconsistent this season, but they tend to raise their game in big matches. Liverpool's away form has been patchy, with just 2 wins in their last 8 on the road. A draw would suit neither team but reflects the likely balance of play. Prediction: 1-1 draw.
Man United vs Nottingham Forest (May 17, 12:30)
United are comfortably third on 65 points and have little to play for in the league. Forest are mathematically safe and playing without pressure. This has all the hallmarks of an end-of-season game where neither team is fully motivated. United's quality should tell, but Forest have been a tough team to beat in the second half of the season. Prediction: 2-1 Manchester United.
Brentford vs Crystal Palace (May 17, 15:00)
Brentford have been solid at home all season and sit comfortably in mid-table. Palace are playing for pride and momentum. The Bees' attacking patterns at the Gtech Community Stadium have been consistent, and they should have enough to win this. Prediction: 2-0 Brentford.
Everton vs Sunderland (May 17, 15:00)
Sunderland's return to the Premier League has been a success, with safety secured weeks ago. Everton have had another difficult season but are safe. A nothing game at Goodison Park, which usually means a low-intensity contest. Prediction: 1-1 draw.
Leeds vs Brighton (May 17, 15:00)
Leeds are safe after a rocky season, and Brighton arrive with European hopes fading but not dead. Brighton's possession-based football should dominate at Elland Road, where Leeds have been vulnerable to teams that control the ball. Prediction: 1-2 Brighton.
Wolves vs Fulham (May 17, 15:00)
Both teams are in mid-table with nothing at stake. Wolves at Molineux have been consistently hard to beat, even when results elsewhere have not gone their way. Fulham's away form is middle of the road. Prediction: 1-1 draw.
Newcastle vs West Ham (May 17, 17:30)
Newcastle need a win to keep any European hopes alive, and St James' Park will be rocking for the final home game of the season. West Ham have been disappointing on the road and have little to play for. Prediction: 2-0 Newcastle.
Arsenal vs Burnley (May 18, 20:00)
The biggest game of the gameweek. Arsenal need a win to maintain their 5-point cushion (or extend it to 8 before City play). Burnley are relegated, have the worst away record in the division, and have conceded 72 goals this season. Arsenal's defense, the best in the league with 26 goals conceded, should make this straightforward. The Emirates crowd will create the atmosphere of a title-clinching occasion, and the players will feed off it. Prediction: 3-0 Arsenal.
Bournemouth vs Manchester City (May 19, 19:30)
City travel to the Vitality Stadium needing a win to keep the pressure on Arsenal. Bournemouth are fighting for a European spot and will not roll over. Iraola's pressing game can cause City problems, especially if Guardiola rotates players after the FA Cup final three days earlier. City's squad depth usually wins out in these situations, but Bournemouth at home are a genuine threat. Prediction: 1-2 Manchester City (narrow win, City made to work for it).
Chelsea vs Tottenham (May 19, 20:15)
A London derby with implications for Chelsea's European ambitions and Tottenham's pride. Spurs have had a dismal season, fighting relegation for much of it, but derby form often defies league position. Chelsea need the points more, and home advantage at Stamford Bridge should give them the edge in what will be a heated contest. Prediction: 2-1 Chelsea.
The Champions League Qualifying Race
With Arsenal and City occupying the top two spots, the battle for the remaining Champions League places is between Manchester United (65 pts), Liverpool (59 pts), Aston Villa (59 pts), and Bournemouth (55 pts). United are effectively secure in third, needing just one point from their final two games to guarantee a top-four finish.
Liverpool and Villa are level on points but separated by goal difference (Liverpool +12, Villa +4). The two teams meet at Villa Park on May 15, a match that will almost certainly decide who finishes fourth. The winner of that game will hold the advantage heading into GW38.
Bournemouth's outside chance of the top five depends on other results going their way. They need to win both remaining games and hope either Liverpool or Villa collapse. It is unlikely but not impossible given their form under Iraola.
Relegation Battle: Who Goes Down?
Burnley, Sheffield United, and Southampton were all relegated weeks ago. With those three gone, the bottom of the table is settled, which is unusual for this stage of the season. Leeds and Nottingham Forest both secured survival in recent weeks, meaning the final two gameweeks have no relegation drama for the first time in years.
The absence of a relegation fight means more teams are playing without pressure, which often leads to unpredictable results. City will hope that teams with nothing to play for do not raise their game for the occasion.
Title Race Odds and What History Tells Us
The bookmakers have Arsenal at 1/4 to win the Premier League, with City at 5/1. Those odds reflect the reality: Arsenal's fate is entirely in their own hands, and City need both a perfect run and an Arsenal stumble.
History offers some encouragement for City. In the Premier League era, the team top of the table with two games remaining has failed to win the title on three occasions. The most famous was the 2012 "Aguero" season when City overhauled Manchester United on the final day. More recently, City themselves collapsed from a commanding position in the closing weeks of the 2020 season when Liverpool stormed back.
But those collapses required the leading team to drop multiple points across consecutive matches. Arsenal have lost just once in their last 15 Premier League games, a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle in March. Their form since that setback has been exemplary: 5 wins and a draw, with just 2 goals conceded in those 6 matches. This is not a team showing signs of cracking under pressure.
The most likely scenario remains Arsenal winning both remaining games and clinching the title before the final day. A win over Burnley on May 18 would put Arsenal on 82 points, and if City drop any points at Bournemouth the following day, the race is over with one game to spare. If not, the final day on May 24 will be decisive, with Arsenal at Palace and City at home to Aston Villa.
One factor that cannot be quantified: Arsenal are also preparing for the Champions League final on May 30. No English club has ever won the Premier League and Champions League in the same season. If Arsenal can secure the league early, they can focus fully on making history in Budapest.
For live Premier League scores, real-time standings, and match predictions, visit iscore.ai. Track every goal, every point, and every twist in the title race from GW37 to the final whistle on May 24.
Related reading: Premier League Final Week: Title Race Scenarios and Remaining Fixtures and Champions League Final 2026: PSG vs Arsenal Complete Preview.