Guardiola made it plain that Manchester City is his top focus, giving Arsenal a significant EPL title advantage

Arsenal news: With only seven league games remaining, the Gunners have a fresh advantage that might mean everything.

Arsenal has gained ground in the Premier League title chase after Manchester City advanced to the Champions League semi-finals. Pep Guardiola’s side advanced to the final four for the third year in a row after drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich and winning 4-1 on aggregate.

The Citizens are still competing on two fronts this season and have the opportunity to complete a historic treble as the season enters its final six weeks. With the possibility to cut the gap at the top of the league to one point, as well as facing Arsenal in a crucial tie next week, the pressure is building.

City’s improvement is a huge plus for Arsenal, giving them a crucial advantage in the final stages. Whereas Mikel Arteta’s side only has to worry about collecting up points, Guardiola must balance extra fixtures on the schedule.

These aren’t just any old fixtures, Guardiola sees the towering figure of serial Champions League winners Real Madrid on the horizon. The Spanish manager will have to navigate another two matches under under scrutiny, with European success probably more important than domestic glory for the reigning league champions.

Manchester City, on the other hand, may wind up playing 59 games if they win the Champions League and FA Cup. It is not surprising to see them at this stage of their tournaments after competing at the business end of several competitions for several years in a row.

City will now play nine matches in the next four weeks, with the possibility of increasing to ten, whereas Arsenal will only have six to worry about before the last game of the season at home to Wolves. Although Arteta and his team control only one of those City games, it is a crucial advantage that they cannot afford to lose.