Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice summed up the atmosphere of defiance after his side’s nervy 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday sent them back to the top of the Premier League.
“I think after last week (defeat against Manchester City) we said we have to win five games if we want to win the Premier League,” he said. «That’s one and now there’s four more to go. It was about winning, however we win.»
Stuttering Arsenal have seen a nine-point lead in the title race evaporate and last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, combined with City’s narrow win over Burnley on Wednesday, has knocked them out of top spot for the first time since October.
Saturday’s victory, sealed by a majestic ninth-minute goal from Eberechi Eze, was tricky, but crucially it put Arsenal three points clear again, even though City still have a game in hand.
With Arsenal and City’s goal difference virtually level, the race has turned into a five-match sprint and Mikel Arteta’s side must now concentrate on the remaining league games at home against Fulham and Burnley and away against West Ham United and Crystal Palace – hardly the most formidable fixtures.
Match report | Premier League 2025-26: Nervy Arsenal return to top as Eze earns crucial win over Newcastle
If you win all of these, there is a good chance that you will win the first national title since 2004.
«These are exciting times. There is a lot to play for,» added Rice, who will lead the midfield again against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
Arsenal’s players looked up at the final whistle after 97 minutes of hard work. But captain Martin Odegaard vowed there would be no interruption in Arsenal’s bid to keep City at bay.
«This schedule is crazy. We just have to keep going. It’s the end of the season, let out everything we have, fight every game and we just have to keep going,» said the Norwegian. “That’s where we want to be, but it will continue until the end.
“We are ready and we will fight every day.”
Published on April 26, 2026
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