“Who knows?” Manchester City star sends a title message to Arsenal

Manchester City refuse to surrender in the Premier League title race and remain intent on hunting down leaders Arsenal, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has insisted. With only four points separating the two sides at the summit, the Dutchman says the champions are ready to pounce on any stumble from Mikel Arteta’s men during the run-in.

Arsenal have set the pace for much of the campaign, blending defensive resilience with attacking fluency to establish the narrow advantage they currently hold. A surprise defeat to Brentford last weekend briefly encouraged rivals to question whether nerves might undermine the Emirates outfit, yet City accept that the onus is still on them to reel in the pacesetters.

Speaking to ESPN after training on Tuesday, Reijnders underlined the squad’s collective belief that the race is far from finished. “The mood’s been good, but it was also good before,” he said. “Of course we’ve dropped some points as well, but it’s good and we are on the hunt and we keep going. We have to see, of course, but if we keep going like this, who knows?”

The 25-year-old’s comments echo the mantra inside the Etihad Campus: maintain pressure, keep winning, and wait for the opportunity to strike. City’s experience in navigating the final weeks of a title fight is well documented, and Pep Guardiola’s side have repeatedly demonstrated an ability to compile the late-season surges that tilt championships in their favour.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will attempt to regroup quickly after the Brentford setback. Arteta has drilled his squad to treat every fixture as a cup final, aware that dropped points could invite City back into contention. The Londoners’ next sequence of games is likely to determine whether they can secure a first league crown since 2004 or whether the holders will celebrate a successful defence.

Reijnders, signed to add energy and creativity to City’s midfield, has featured prominently during the pivotal spring stretch. His versatility allows Guardiola to rotate without diluting quality, a factor the player believes can sustain momentum through the final fixtures. “We have depth and we have belief,” he added. “Every week is a chance to put pressure on the team above.”

That pressure resumes this weekend when City travel to face a relegation-threatened opponent before Arsenal host a mid-table side on Sunday. The staggered schedule means the gap could narrow to a single point by the time the Gunners kick off, intensifying scrutiny on each subsequent performance.

Analysts suggest the championship could be decided by fine margins: a deflected winner, a contentious VAR call, or the capacity of either squad to withstand injuries. City’s pedigree in decisive moments gives them confidence, yet Arsenal’s youthful exuberance and hunger to end a two-decade drought provide an equally compelling narrative.

For Reijnders, the message is simple: City will not relent. “We know what we have to do,” he said. “Win games, stay focused, and see where it takes us.”

With fewer than ten matches remaining, the Premier League’s premier prize promises a gripping finale. Whether Arsenal can hold their nerve or City can produce another trademark surge will dominate headlines between now and May, leaving fans of both clubs scanning each fixture list with a mixture of hope and trepidation.