Arsenal hold a nine-point lead at the top of the Premier League with seven matches remaining, while Manchester City have a game in hand but face a more demanding set of fixtures according to the Fixture Difficulty Rating (FDR) used in Fantasy Premier League.
The FDR, which scores matches from 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest), gives Arsenal an average rating of 2.7 across their final seven games. City's remaining eight fixtures average 3.1, indicating a tougher run-in for the defending champions.
Arsenal's remaining matches include home games against Bournemouth (FDR 3), Newcastle (3), Fulham (2), and Burnley (1), plus away trips to Manchester City (5), West Ham (2), and Crystal Palace (3). They also host City in a crucial clash at the Etihad.
City's run-in features away matches at Chelsea (4), Burnley (2), Everton (3), and Bournemouth (3), along with home games against Arsenal (4), Brentford (3), Aston Villa (3), and a rescheduled fixture with Crystal Palace (3).
Despite City's Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal, manager Pep Guardiola downplayed its impact on the title race. "I don't think it will have an impact, different competition," he said after the 2-0 win at Wembley. "The Premier League is in their hands, they punished us a lot."
