Arsenal's Premier League title challenge suffered another setback after being held to a 1-1 draw at Brentford, extending a troubling pattern of dropping points following Manchester City matches. The Gunners now lead City by just four points with 12 games remaining, having missed opportunities to build their advantage after City's results against Fulham, Wolves, and Brighton.

This marks the fourth time this season that Mikel Arteta's side has faltered in the gameweek after facing City, raising questions about whether the scheduling pressure is affecting their performances. While Arteta dismisses the notion that playing second impacts his team, the statistics tell a different story - Arsenal have struggled to respond when City sets the pace, despite showing clinical form when going first in the fixture list.

Defensive vulnerabilities were exposed again against Brentford, with Gabriel's wayward passing and clumsy fouls nearly costing Arsenal more dearly. The pressure is mounting as Arsenal face crucial London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea in their next two games, with City unable to respond immediately. With the title race tightening and Arsenal's recent inconsistency following City matches, the Gunners must quickly address this psychological hurdle if they hope to end their long wait for a Premier League crown.