Arsenal are four points clear at the top of the Premier League with three matches remaining after Leandro Trossard's first-half strike earned a nervy but crucial 1-0 win at West Ham on Sunday. It was the kind of result that tells you everything about where Mikel Arteta's side are right now — not quite at their devastating best, but gritty enough when it matters. The Gunners have not won the league title since 2004, and right now, that long wait is nearly over.
Trossard has been quietly excellent all season, and his goal at the London Stadium — a sharp, low finish after a slick one-two with Bukayo Saka in the 37th minute — had the travelling Arsenal fans dreaming. West Ham pressed in the second half, but David Raya was rarely seriously troubled. At the final whistle, the Arsenal players celebrated as if they already knew what was coming. Manchester City, four points behind with one game in hand, now face Crystal Palace on Wednesday with the pressure entirely on them.
Arsenal Can Win the Title on Monday, May 18
If City drop points against Palace tonight, Arsenal could lift the trophy as early as Monday evening, when they host already-relegated Burnley at the Emirates. It would be a fitting venue — a home crowd, a packed stadium, and 22 years of hurt finally coming to an end. Arteta has been careful not to get ahead of himself publicly, telling reporters after the West Ham win that "there is still work to do," but the numbers tell a different story. Opta's supercomputer gives Arsenal an 87.2% chance of winning the title, and that figure only rises if City slip against Patrick Vieira's Palace side.
What makes Arsenal's position so strong is the quality of their remaining fixtures. After Burnley, they finish away at Crystal Palace on May 24 — the final day of the season. City, meanwhile, face a much more difficult run-in, with Bournemouth and then a trip to Nottingham Forest ahead. The only realistic scenario in which Arsenal lose the title from here is an extraordinary collapse combined with a perfect run from City. Nobody in north London is thinking about that.
Trossard's Importance Cannot Be Overstated
The Belgian wide man has chipped in with 12 league goals and nine assists this campaign — numbers that would have most clubs in Europe queuing up for his signature. He operates with a low-key intensity that sometimes gets underappreciated by neutral observers, but his teammates and coaching staff know exactly what he brings. In the biggest moments of this title run-in, Trossard keeps delivering. His goal against West Ham was the fifth time this season he has scored the winning goal in a match Arsenal won by a single goal. That kind of composure in high-pressure situations is what separates title-winning squads from the rest.
There is still a chance this comes down to the final day, and nobody should count City out while Erling Haaland is in their attack. But Arsenal have done everything asked of them. Trossard's winner at the London Stadium may, in time, be remembered as the moment the 2025-26 Premier League title was decided.
Match facts: West Ham 0-1 Arsenal | Premier League Matchday 36 | London Stadium, 10 May 2026 | Goal: Trossard (37') | Arsenal remain unbeaten in their last 9 Premier League matches.
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