Man City’s second‑half lapses are undermining their Premier League title bid

Manchester City’s repeated second‑half lapses have cost them points and are undermining their Premier League title challenge against Arsenal, a review of recent results shows, with seven points conceded in 2026 alone and Arsenal’s lead standing at six after their win at Leeds. Since the New Year fixtures Arsenal have dropped seven points, while City have dropped 11 in the same period, as have Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Fulham have dropped 10, Everton nine, Brentford and Newcastle eight, Chelsea seven and Manchester United six; because many challengers have also dropped points, Arsenal’s lead remains at six. City’s second‑half concessions are specific and frequent: they led 1-0 at half‑time against Chelsea but conceded an injury‑time equaliser, led 1-0 at half‑time against Brighton but conceded an equaliser on the hour, were 0-0 at half‑time against Manchester United but conceded twice in the second half, and were 2-0 up against Tottenham before Dominic Solanke scored in the 53rd and 70th minutes.

Those instances account for seven points lost in 2026 to second‑half goals. The pattern predates 2026: at Newcastle in November a 0-0 half‑time score became a 2-1 defeat, Fulham scored three against them in the second half and Leeds got two (both still lost), while Nottingham Forest and Wolves also put City under unexpected second‑half pressure despite losing.

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