Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Everton has put the Arsenal title race back in Arsenal's hands. [Jamie Carragher] said the trip to West Ham next Sunday is the game that could settle it, while [Thierry Henry] urged caution and said the pressure remains real.
Why West Ham now feels decisive
Carragher did not dress it up. "If Arsenal win against West Ham next Sunday, they win the league," he said. Henry was less certain, but no less clear about the danger. "I'm worried about the West Ham game," he said, and later added: "Now it's back in Arsenal's hands. It's not in Man City's hands anymore."
The numbers back that sense of control. Arsenal are top of the Premier League with 76 points from 35 matches. Manchester City are second with 71 points from 34 matches, so the gap is five points after City came into the Everton match with two games in hand and six points to make up. Everton scored all three of their goals in a 13-minute window during City's second-half collapse.
Why the caution still matters
This is not a title already won, and Henry's warning is the one worth taking seriously. Arsenal's next Premier League fixture is away at West Ham on Sunday, with Burnley to follow at home, so the first test is the hardest one.
West Ham's recent league form is inconsistent, with one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five, including a 3-0 loss at Brentford. Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 in the most recent meeting at the Emirates Stadium, but this game is different because of the pressure attached to it. If Arsenal handle it, Carragher's point starts to look less like punditry and more like the most direct reading of the table. If they do not, the race stays alive for another week.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
