Reijnders Warns Arsenal: Manchester City 'On the Hunt' in Premier League Title Race

Manchester City are closing in on Premier League leaders Arsenal, with midfielder Tijjani Reijnders delivering a stark warning that his side is 'on the hunt' in the title race.

City currently sit four points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, having capitalized on the Gunners' recent stumbles. Arsenal drew 1-1 with Brentford on Thursday, marking the fourth time in their last six matches they've dropped points—comprising three draws and one defeat. This has injected fresh tension into what was once a seemingly comfortable lead for Mikel Arteta's team.

The Opta supercomputer reflects the shifting dynamics, giving Arsenal an 85.3% chance of clinching the title, while City's odds stand at 12.8%. This is a significant improvement for the champions from earlier in the season; as recently as February 7, after Arsenal's 3-0 thrashing of Sunderland that put them nine points clear, the model had pegged their probability at 93.6% against City's mere 4.6%.

Arsenal face a pivotal week ahead, starting with a match against bottom-placed Wolves on Wednesday, followed by the North London derby at Tottenham on Sunday. Looming larger still is their clash with City at the Etihad Stadium on matchday 33. Any slip-ups could narrow the gap further, ramping up the pressure on the leaders.

Reijnders, speaking after City's 2-0 FA Cup victory over Salford City on Saturday, underscored his team's determination. "The mood's been good, but it was also good before," he said. "Of course, we've dropped some points as well but it's good and we are on the hunt and we keep going. We have to see of course, but if we keep going like this, who knows?"

The Dutch midfielder has been a key addition to Pep Guardiola's squad since joining from AC Milan last June for an initial £46.3m (€55m). In his debut Premier League campaign, Reijnders has notched five goals and two assists, while completing 294 passes into the final third—the sixth-highest tally in City's squad this season.

Reflecting on his adaptation to English football, Reijnders added: "Luckily I've played many games already and the coach gave me time to adapt as well, but I really like it. I like the Premier League and especially I like the team where I'm playing now."

With City having secured back-to-back league wins over Liverpool and Fulham, the title race is heating up, and Reijnders' comments serve as a reminder that Guardiola's side is far from out of contention.