Premier League Title Race 'Decided by TV Broadcasters'

Arsenal's recent slip-ups have handed the advantage to Manchester City, who can cut the gap before the Gunners' next match.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Premier League title race will be decided by TV broadcasters Sky Sports and TNT Sports, claims former Arsenal player Paul Merson. Arsenal's 2-2 draw against bottom-of-the-table Wolves has handed the initiative back to Manchester City, who now have a game in hand over the league leaders and can cut the gap to just two points before Arsenal's next match. Merson believes the pressure of having to respond to City's results will take a toll on Arsenal, who have won just two of their last seven league games.

Why it matters

The scheduling of Premier League matches by broadcasters could have a significant impact on the title race, with Arsenal potentially having to play catch-up to Manchester City's results. This raises questions about the fairness of the process and the challenges faced by teams trying to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

The details

Arsenal last night dropped points against Wolves, allowing Manchester City to close the gap at the top of the table. City now have a game in hand over Arsenal and can cut the deficit to just two points before the Gunners' next match, a heated north London derby against Tottenham. City play ahead of Arsenal in two of the next three Premier League gameweeks, and play at the same time as them in the other, which Merson believes will put significant pressure on Mikel Arteta's side.

  • Arsenal drew 2-2 against Wolves on February 18, 2026.
  • Manchester City can cut the gap to Arsenal to just two points before the Gunners' next match.

The players

Paul Merson

A former Arsenal player who believes the Premier League title race will be decided by TV broadcasters.

Mikel Arteta

The manager of Arsenal, who has seen his team's lead at the top of the table cut in recent weeks.

Manchester City

The reigning Premier League champions, who are now in a position to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal.

Arsenal

The current Premier League leaders, who have seen their advantage at the top of the table diminish in recent weeks.

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What they’re saying

“Title will go down to whoever plays first, and Sky have a massive part to play in that.”

— Paul Merson, Former Arsenal player (Yahoo Sports)

“It's disappointing. You can't play in second gear. When Wolves went to 2-2, there was an urgency. They didn't have that before. You can't play like that. Every game is a cup final to the end.”

— Paul Merson, Former Arsenal player (Yahoo Sports)

“I was quite shocked with the interview of Arteta. It's the first time, really, I've seen him not majorly positive. He usually comes out and says, 'we did this, we did that.' He's saying, 'we deserved the hit,' instead of coming out and saying, 'we're five points clear. As long as we don't get beat by Manchester City, we win the league.'”

— Paul Merson, Former Arsenal player (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The next round of Premier League fixture changes for TV coverage are set to be announced on March 4, covering gameweeks 32 to 34.

The takeaway

The Premier League title race is being heavily influenced by the scheduling decisions of TV broadcasters, which could put significant pressure on Arsenal and hand the advantage to Manchester City. This raises questions about the fairness of the process and the challenges faced by teams trying to maintain their lead at the top of the table.