Forget Man City away: These three factors will now define whether Arsenal win the Premier League title

Arsenal and their push to clinch the Premier League title is approaching a defining stretch in the season, with the margins at the top of the table growing ever tighter.

Every tactical decision, in-game performance and selection choices now carry added weight as the season edges towards an exciting climax.

While the Gunners have several headline fixtures on the horizon, the reality is that their fate will be shaped by a number of other factors, all of which are in their own hands and could ultimately be the defining factor to whether silverware finally returns to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal face pivotal Man City clash at the Etihad Stadium

A trip to face Manchester City away is always framed as a decisive moment in a title race, and this season is no different.

The Etihad Stadium has been a graveyard for challengers in recent years, and Arsenal know a positive result on April 18th would send a powerful message.

However, even defeat there would not automatically end the race. The league table is rarely settled by a single fixture, and the north Londoners' challenge will be defined by how they respond in the weeks surrounding it rather than by one afternoon in Manchester.

These factors will now define Arsenal's title charge

Beyond the Man City clash, Mikel Arteta's ability to manage his Arsenal squad, break down defensive sides and maintain consistency from key players will be decisive.

With domestic and European commitments piling up, such small details could swing the balance between finishing first or falling just short once again.

Mikel Arteta must trust squad depth and rotation

In recent weeks, Arteta has already shown growth in how he rotates his squad, and that evolution must continue.

Arsenal are still competing across multiple fronts, with key fixtures in the Champions League and the FA Cup, as well as the small matter of the Carabao Cup final ahead, meaning intelligent squad management will be essential.

Players such as Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White and Christian Norgaard have shown in limited minutes that they can be trusted with increased responsibility.

If Arteta leans on his depth rather than overloading his core starters, then the Gunners stand a much better chance of maintaining intensity and avoiding the late-season fatigue that has previously undermined their title bids.

Arsenal must do better against the poorer teams

Ironically, some of Arsenal’s biggest frustrations recently have not come against elite opposition, but rather against sides happy to defend deep and soak up pressure. They have dropped valuable points to the likes of basement boys Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford in the last month alone.

Therefore, upcoming fixtures against teams such as Burnley and West Ham United, who are the two sides to sit directly above Wolves, will arguably be more important than the City clash.

These sorts of matches have highlighted the Gunners' issues with patience and creativity in tight spaces.

Champions consistently turn dominance into points against this level of opposition, so if Arsenal are to lift the trophy, then they must be more ruthless and efficient in games where they control possession but face stubborn tactics and gamesmanship.

Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and other Arsenal stars are key

However, for the likes of Viktor Gyökeres and Eberechi Eze - who showed their importance with game-changing performances against Tottenham - they must do it on a regular and more consistent basis if the Gunners are to finally get over the line.

That level must now become the norm. It can't just be done in Arsenal's biggest game of the season.

If Arteta's men can continue to perform to that standard, in roles that suit, then the pieces may well fall into place for a genuine title triumph and one that will not be defined by the result at the Etihad.