Arsenal's title hopes plummet from '97% to 43%' in despair... "Lost to Manchester City despite Donnarumma's horror show" — a nightmare of four consecutive second-place finishes begins.

*This content was translated by AI.

Arsenal's title probability, which stood at 97% just a month ago, has been cut in half. The nightmare of perennial second-place finishes is resurfacing.

On the 20th (Korean time), Arsenal suffered a 1-2 away defeat against Manchester City in the 33rd round of the 2025–2026 English Premier League (EPL) at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, UK.

With this loss, Arsenal now trails Manchester City by just three points, despite having played one fewer match. If Manchester City wins all their remaining postponed fixtures, the two teams will be tied at 70 points, and Arsenal could even lose the top spot depending on goal difference.

Local analysts are increasingly betting on Manchester City's dramatic comeback for the title. In particular, data from the sports prediction platform "Polymarket" shows that Arsenal's title probability has plummeted to 43% immediately after their defeat, down from 97% a month ago, while Manchester City's chances have risen to 57%.

Local media have pointed to Arsenal's psychological collapse. Britain's "Sky Sports" strongly warned of a mental breakdown within the squad, stating, "Arsenal is on the verge of repeating the cruel history of finishing as runners-up for four consecutive seasons."

Despite goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma committing a fatal error in the 18th minute of the first half that gifted Kai Havertz an equalizer in a "horror show," Arsenal failed to convert the advantage into a win. Instead, they collapsed after conceding a late goal to Erling Haaland in the 20th minute of the second half. Arsenal fans are left even more frustrated after squandering a golden opportunity handed to them by the opponent.

In the second half, Arsenal faced further misfortune as shots from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhães repeatedly struck the goalposts. However, in a title-deciding match, such excuses hold no weight. Meanwhile, Manchester City secured the victory through Rayan Cherki's sharp penetration and Haaland's overwhelming finishing ability.

If Arsenal fails to win the title this time, they will once again fall into the role of Manchester City's runner-up since the 2023–2024 season, earning the painful distinction of four consecutive second-place finishes.

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*This content was translated by AI.