The Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City is heading towards a dramatic finish.
With just a few games left to play, very little separates the two sides, and there is a real possibility that the title could be decided on goal difference on the final day.
It would not be the first time Arsenal have been involved in such a scenario.
More than 35 years ago, they found themselves in a similar position in one of the most iconic title deciders in English football history.
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Pep Guardiola reacts to Arsenal winning the title on the final day in 1989
Back in 1989, Arsenal travelled to Anfield needing a very specific result to win the league.
The Gunners had to beat Liverpool by two clear goals, which seemed almost impossible at the time because of how dominant the home side was.
Arsenal, however, had other ideas and produced one of the most memorable performances in the club’s history. Alan Smith scored early in the second half to give the Gunners hope, but they still needed one more goal to achieve what many thought was impossible.
As the game entered its final moments, Arsenal pushed forward desperately in search of that decisive second goal, and then came the moment that defined an era.
Michael Thomas broke through and calmly finished to make it 2-0, sealing the title for Arsenal in the most dramatic fashion.
Pep Guardiola could find himself in a similar position in the title race against Arsenal on the last day of this season.
The Spaniard was not aware of what happened in 1989, but when he heard about it, his response left everyone in the room laughing.
“What happened? By one goal, Arsenal won the league? So Arsenal have won. So, relax this season. They don’t have to push again,” he said before laughing, as relayed on HaytersTV.
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Arsenal should keep a close eye on goal difference
While Guardiola’s response was humorous, the underlying point remains very real for Arsenal – this Premier League title race could come down to the smallest of margins.
At the moment, the Gunners are ahead of Manchester City by just one goal on goal difference. City have the opportunity to change that if they beat Burnley on Wednesday night.
That is why Mikel Arteta’s men cannot just focus on winning their remaining matches; they also need to win convincingly and build their goal difference wherever possible.
That way, if it does come to goal difference on the final day of the season, the Gunners will find themselves in a good position to win it.
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