Manchester City confirmed as Premier League champions after Arsenal defeat

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Arsenal's 1-0 loss at Nottingham Forest means Manchester City are Premier League champions for the fifth time in six seasons

Manchester City players celebrate a goal against Arsenal in April 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester City are Premier League champions with three matches left to play after title rivals Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Coming into the weekend, Pep Guardiola's side needed just a win to wrap up their fifth title in six seasons and third in a row, but they have been confirmed as champions before they even take to the pitch this weekend thanks to an unexpected favour from Forest at the City Ground.

Taiwo Awoniyi's first-half goal separated the two teams and secured survival for Steve Cooper's side against an Arsenal side looking tired following the disappointments of recent weeks.

Mikel Arteta's men had been in control in the title race, but handed the momentum back to City following three straight draws in April and their hopes of winning the Premier League all but ended with a 3-0 loss at home to Brighton last weekend.

Defeat at Forest means Arsenal are four points behind City with only one fixture remaining and therefore cannot catch the defending champions.

Guardiola's side have put together a remarkable run to win it, dropping just two points from their last 14 matches. That one draw, coincidentally, came against Nottingham Forest.

Forest, with 37 points, now cannot be caught by either Leicester or Everton, meaning their Premier League status is secure.

City are at home to Chelsea on Sunday, with games against Brighton and Brentford to come ahead of their FA Cup and Champions League final appearances next month as they look to claim a historic treble.

Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.