- Man City trail Arsenal by six points
- They have two games in hand
- O’Reilly thinks the race will go to the wire
Manchester City star Nico O’Reilly says he expects the Premier League title race against Arsenal to go right to the final days ahead of City’s vital clash with Everton on Monday.
With six points separating City from leaders Arsenal, there is no room for error from Pep Guardiola’s team.
The Carabao Cup winners have two games in hand over the Gunners, who beat Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to restore their six-point advantage.
Three straight wins, including a huge victory against Arsenal, have put City within touching distance of an unexpected title.
However, the race is poised to be decided by the finest of margins, with O’Reilly predicting it could go down to the very final day.
Nico O’Reilly predicts title race will go to the wire
Speaking via the Manchester City website, O’Reilly discussed the state of the title race, and how he and his teammates are coping with the pressure.
He said: “We’re confident in ourselves. There are still a few games to go, and it could go down to the last game.
“We’re going to try and win every game and score as much as we can. We’re going into every game trying to put a good performance in and win.”
O’Reilly focused on the task at hand with Manchester City
With Man City still in contention for a domestic treble, it would be easy for some players to lose sight of the immediate importance of each game.
Not O’Reilly, though, who remains focused on winning each match and giving everything to help City to the Premier League title.
The 21-year-old said: “I’m feeling good and positive and ready for the last few weeks. Everyone is feeling good and we’re excited for the last few weeks of the season.”
“It would be a great achievement but there are still a few games to go and we’ll see what happens. I just need to knuckle down and keep working hard.
“With all the games and how intense it is, I don’t think there’s much time to reflect yet. I think that’s when we have time off.”
Man City and Arsenal heading for photo finish
If both City and Arsenal win all of their remaining games, they will finish level on 85 points. In that case, goal difference and goals scored will be needed to decide the title winners.
There is no room for either team to drop points, with just one missed opportunity likely to prove costly. City boss Guardiola and his former assistant Mikel Arteta will be reminding their players of this, not that they need reminding.
Few Premier League seasons end with such a close sprint to the finish, but this campaign is turning out to be one of the closest in years. Whoever comes out on top, it will be a tense and exciting finale.
