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Arsenal lose lead
Arsenal’s title position tightened after their defeat to Manchester City on Sunday (2-1), leaving the London club still top of the Premier League with 70 points but only a three-point lead over the Citizens on 67 with five games to go.
L'Équipe frames the scenario as a potential perfect tie, noting that if Arsenal and Manchester City both win all their remaining matches they would reach 85 points each and then be separated by Premier League regulations.
The Premier League tiebreakers are laid out in order as the best goal difference, then the greater number of goals scored, then the most points earned in head-to-head meetings, with a neutral-ground playoff if the tie persists.
L'Équipe adds that the head-to-head record currently favors Manchester City, citing a 1-1 draw in the first leg and a 2-1 win on Matchday 33, which would give the Sky Blues the title in the event of a perfect tie.
Olé similarly emphasizes the head-to-head swing, saying Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 and moved three points clear in the head-to-head for the title while noting that neither side faces another team from the so-called Big Six and that they share Burnley and Crystal Palace as common opponents.
Rules and remaining fixtures
L'Équipe explains that if points are level after the 38th matchday, the first criterion is the best goal difference, with Arsenal and Manchester City on +37 and +36 respectively, before moving to the most goals scored with City ahead on 66 to Arsenal’s 63.
It then details the head-to-head tiebreaker, stating that the team with more points from the two meetings takes the advantage, and that if the tie persists after the first three criteria a playoff on neutral ground would decide the champion.
Olé adds that in case of a points tie, the tiebreakers are overall goal difference, most goals scored, head-to-head meetings (points and away goals), and a neutral-site playoff if the tie persists.
Olé also lists what remains for Arsenal, including Apr 25 (1:30 PM) vs. Newcastle (L), May 2 (1:30 PM) vs. Fulham (L), May 10 (12:30 PM) vs. West Ham (V), and May 17 (11:00) Burnley (L), while noting that Arsenal will face Atlético Madrid in the Champions League semifinals on April 29 away and May 5 at home.
For Manchester City, Olé lists Apr 22 (4:00 PM) vs. Burnley (V), May 4 (4:00 PM) vs. Everton (V), May 9 (1:30 PM) vs. Brentford (L), and May 17 (11:00 AM) vs. Bournemouth (V), and it says on April 25 they’ll play Southampton in the FA Cup semifinal with the final scheduled for Saturday, May 16.
World Cup group-stage stakes
BBC examines the 2026 World Cup group stage and says the tournament will be the first ever World Cup using head-to-head records instead of goal difference as the primary tiebreaker for countries level on points.
It also says the World Cup will feature a third-placed table for the first time since 1994, with teams vie for the eight remaining slots, and it notes that eight teams already know they have nothing to play for on the third matchday.
The BBC gives examples in Group J, stating that Argentina have six points and cannot be overtaken in Group J because they have beaten the two teams on three points, Austria and Algeria, while Jordan on zero points have been eliminated because they have lost to those two teams.
It further describes how the third-placed table complicates the final round, saying that because there are so many groups it takes five days to complete the final round of matches and that when Scotland play Brazil on Wednesday (23:00 BST) they will have no idea what the cut-off will be to go through in third.
The BBC also illustrates how the new structure could affect team selection by pointing to Euro 2024, where Portugal coach Roberto Martinez made eight changes to his starting XI for their third fixture against Georgia, and it says Georgia won 2-0 and went through to the round of 16.
