We reflect on Saturday’s title-race action, as the top two consolidated their spots with contrasting wins

Football writer Alex Keble looks at what happened in the title race on Saturday, as Arsenal fought to a narrow 1-0 win at Everton, Manchester City eased past West Ham United and Chelsea dropped points against Newcastle United.

Arsenal will be top of the Premier League table once more on Christmas Day but there will be a few anxious thoughts nagging away on 25 December – and not just because they have twice before been in this situation under Mikel Arteta, only to lose the title to Manchester City. 

For the second weekend in a row, there is no change at the top following victories for Arsenal and Man City. For the second weekend in a row, it doesn’t quite feel like that after Arsenal fought their way to victory against bottom-half opposition while Man City simply steamrollered through their opponents.

Until the season is over, we won’t know if this is Arsenal winning ugly, as great champions do, or if it’s an early sign of a drop to come. We know what happened the last two times the Gunners were top at Christmas.  

Arsenal top at Xmas again but are they ruthless enough to stay there? 

Arsenal hit the post twice in the second half and were ultimately deserved 1-0 victors on their first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium, a tough place to go but not, seemingly, as tough as Goodison Park used to be.  

They had won just one of their final seven league visits to Everton‘s old ground, which adds important context to a performance that was perhaps a little unconvincing.  

Arsenal just couldn’t put the game to bed on the sixth anniversary of Arteta’s appointment as manager, and here is perhaps the most alarming sign for Gunners fans wondering if being top at Christmas really means all that much.  

Creativity is an issue; an Arsenal player hasn’t scored an open-play goal in either of their last two Premier League matches. 

Does it matter? Arsenal must continue to put wins together to prove that it does not; to prove that their huffing and puffing through Premier League fixtures is not a sign they already feel fatigued, mentally or physically, in their race with a calm and efficient Man City machine. 

Certainly being top at Christmas has not, historically, mattered as much as we often think. 

Only 17 of the 33 Premier League teams who were top at Christmas went on to become champions. Arsenal were top in 2022 and 2023 but of course won neither title, and in fact have never won the league when top on 25 December, finishing second in 2002/03, 2022/23 and 2023/24, and third in 2007/08. 

The only way Arsenal can change that record, on recent form at least, is to make sure they score first.  

They went three matches without a win on the road before Saturday and conceded first in each one, whereas Arsenal have 19 wins from 19 games in all competitions this season when scoring the opener. 

Going 1-0 up tends to calm the jitters. It did that to an extent at Everton, though not entirely convincingly. Nevertheless, Arteta must find a way to ensure Arsenal go ahead early and often. It is the only way to keep calm when the pressure rises in 2026. 

Bukayo Saka certainly believes they are on track in this regard.

“There’s not really any emotions in it,” he told Sky Sports. “We take the emotions out. We just knew we had to focus on our job this week. After last week, we focused on coming here and winning.  

“We did that today. We’re back on top of the table but we’re not watching Man City too much, or the other teams. We’re in control now. We know if we win every week, we’ll stay there.”

Cherki and Foden step up but Guardiola not convinced firepower is enough 

Man City largely seem calm, in control – or at least that has been the case since the goals started flowing recently. This was their third 3-0 win in a row in the Premier League.

As with Arsenal, scoring openers is the key to serenity: Erling Haaland has netted the first goal in 10 different league games in 2025/26. 

His brace against West Ham took him to 19 Premier League goals this season, the joint-most by a player before Christmas after Andrew Cole (1993/94), Kevin Phillips (1999/00) and Luis Suarez (2013/14). 

Phil Foden may not have got a goal or an assist in the game but he continued his return to world-class form. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Rayan Cherki was again a creative menace. 

Cherki played a major role in the first-half opener and created six chances, more than anyone else. He is averaging 3.9 chances created per 90 minutes, topping the Premier League charts among players who have played a minimum 500 minutes.  

Man City, as a result, look ruthless; an ominous proposition for Arsenal supporters crushingly familiar with the sight of a Man City team clicking into gear. 

Even if Pep Guardiola does not agree. 

“We are happy to win but the way we are with the ball, we have to improve otherwise it will not be enough to be title contenders in March, April and May,” the Man City manager said. 

Is this comforting to Arsenal fans? Maybe, maybe not.  

On the one hand, perhaps Man City are more fragile than they appear. On the other, having a manager who can watch a thumping 3-0 victory and still be dissatisfied suggests they can go up another level. 

Chelsea dropping two points gives Villa the chance to cement a top three 

Below the top two, Chelsea were suffocated by Newcastle United’s press in the first half at St James’ Park but expertly built their way back into the game after it waned in the second period, with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro coming to dominate midfield in an end-to-end game. 

But the very chaotic nature of the match and Chelsea toiling to another draw, was perhaps a sign they cannot quite keep up with the top two. Enzo Maresca’s side are now 10 points off the top and on track for a 65-point season – four fewer than in 2024/25. 

It hands Aston Villa the chance to create a new mini-league at the top. Victory over Manchester United would open a seven-point gap to Chelsea before the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge next weekend. 

That game will surely decide which, if either, of these clubs can join the title battle forming between Arsenal and Man City.Â