Arsenal have regained control of the Premier League title race, and victory away to struggling West Ham on Sunday could leave the Gunners on the brink of securing their first English league crown in 22 years.

Manchester City had surged back into contention last month, but their damaging 3-3 draw against Everton earlier this week may prove a major setback in the closing stages of the campaign.

Elsewhere, Tottenham face Leeds knowing a win, coupled with dropped points for West Ham, would move them closer to securing survival after a difficult and turbulent season.

AFP Sport takes a look at three key talking points ahead of the weekend’s action.

Arsenal belief

A brief dip in form had allowed Manchester City to re-enter the title race, but back-to-back league victories have restored confidence around the Emirates.

That momentum was strengthened further on Tuesday when Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 in a thrilling atmosphere to book their place in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit five points clear of City, who still have a game in hand, with fixtures remaining against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

The relegation-threatened Hammers have not defeated Arsenal at home in the league since 2019, but with survival still at stake, they are expected to provide a stern challenge at the London Stadium.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who played a major role in the club’s 2004 title-winning campaign, believes the trip to West Ham could still prove tricky for the Gunners.

“I always thought that City might drop points against Everton and my worry was West Ham away,” Henry told Sky Sports.

“So I’m going to stay in my lane and not celebrate too early because nothing is done, but I could see that happening.”

Have Spurs turned a corner?

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has insisted his side are not yet clear of relegation danger, despite collecting seven points from their last three matches to boost hopes of survival.

The Italian took charge at the end of March following Igor Tudor’s disappointing interim spell in north London and has overseen signs of improvement in recent weeks.

However, De Zerbi was quick to downplay the significance of last weekend’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa, stressing that there is still plenty of work left to do before Spurs can feel safe.

“We can’t forget what the situation was before Wolverhampton,” De Zerbi told TNT Sports, reflecting on last month’s 1-0 victory.

“Before Wolverhampton it was a very sad situation and these memories have to stay in our head every day.”

Following the clash with Leeds, Spurs — currently 17th in the Premier League and just one point above West Ham — still face difficult fixtures against Chelsea and Everton, both of whom remain in the hunt for European qualification.

For Leeds, victory on Monday would mathematically secure their Premier League status, although they could be confirmed safe even earlier depending on other results elsewhere.

Can Chelsea stop the slide?

Chelsea’s Premier League campaign has unravelled dramatically, with six consecutive defeats effectively ending their hopes of securing a Champions League spot for next season.

Although the Blues, led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, still have an opportunity to salvage some pride by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, their league performances have become a major source of frustration and disappointment.

Chelsea, currently ninth in the table, have not recorded a Premier League victory since early March and have managed just one goal across their last six league outings — that coming in Monday’s 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

The west London club now face another major challenge this weekend when they take on Liverpool, with Arne Slot’s side edging closer to securing qualification for next season’s Champions League.