Man City Drop Points, Arsenal Edge Close To The Title

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Rest Is Football

Episode: Man City Drop Points, Arsenal Edge Close To The Title
Date: May 5, 2026
Hosts: Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards

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Episode Overview

This episode revolves around the dramatic state of the Premier League title race following Manchester City’s surprising draw against Everton. The panel—Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards—dissect the key moments from the City vs. Everton clash, the implications for Arsenal’s title hopes, and their projections for how the final weeks of the season may unfold. With their signature banter and insight, the trio navigate the tactical and emotional rollercoaster of the closing stages of the season, while reflecting on Arsenal's opportunity for a historic double.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Manchester City vs. Everton: The Turning Point of the Title Race

• Pre-Match Expectations vs. Reality (01:37)
  • The hosts admit they misread the match, expecting an easy City win based on stats.
    • “We thought it was going to be a tough game…they convinced us it wasn’t…And then look what goes and happens.” (Micah Richards, 01:37)
• Everton’s Outstanding Performance (02:28–03:41)
  • Shearer highlights Everton’s intensity, especially second-half:
    • “Everton, I thought, were outstanding, particularly the second half…they could have had a couple more, but for two or three brilliant saves from Donna Rummage.” (Alan Shearer, 02:39)
  • Doku’s brilliance and Haaland’s almost instant response after Everton’s surge noted as major narrative beats.
    • “That Haaland goal about three or four seconds after kickoff was the turning point, wasn’t it?” (Shearer, 02:53)

2. Where Did City Go Wrong?

• City’s Vulnerability and Errors (03:41–07:54)
  • Richards probes into City’s defensive failings:
    • “Why are they conceding three goals? What went wrong?” (Micah Richards, 03:41)
  • Lineker and Shearer dissect tactical issues:
    • “City were vulnerable to the counter attack … they’re still vulnerable to teams that counter against them.” (Gary Lineker, 04:01)
    • Shearer emphasizes indecision with a classic analogy:
      • “It was a case of they didn’t know whether to stick or twist … Everton score, Everton fans go mad…energy, belief, piling forward…” (Alan Shearer, 05:33)
  • A pointed stat from Lineker:
    • “Man City have dropped the joint most points from winning positions in the Premier League since the turn of the year—12, level with Spurs and your Newcastle, Alan.” (Lineker, 06:18)

3. Arsenal Now on the Brink of Glory

• The Road Ahead for Arsenal (07:58–10:51)
  • Richards asks if another twist is possible:
    • “Do you think there’s another twist, Alan?” (Micah Richards, 07:58)
  • Shearer’s belief:
    • “No, because I think Arsenal will win all three games.” (Alan Shearer, 08:03)
  • Lineker on Arsenal’s prospects:
    • “If they do, they will be Premier League champions for the first time for a long, long time.” (Gary Lineker, 08:06)
    • “Five games away from being legends of that football club, forever.” (Shearer, 08:14)
  • Possible historic double in sight; no Arsenal manager has ever achieved Champions League + Premier League (08:38)
    • “It’s a double the club’s never done. None of those coaches have ever won this particular double.” (Lineker, 08:38)

4. Arsenal’s Mindset and Leadership

• Richards tackles the perennial doubts about Arsenal’s mental strength:
  • “Don’t you think it’s weird though? And people question the leadership, don’t they, of Arsenal?” (Micah, 08:59)
  • “They need to believe it and show everyone that they can do it … now’s the time to shut everybody up, isn’t it?” (Richards, 09:52)
  • Lineker stresses the importance of action over talk:
    • “Got to do your talking on the field … what a position they’re in.” (Lineker, 10:17)
  • The big game left is West Ham away; Burnley and Crystal Palace should be wins, depending on opponent circumstances (10:40)

5. What’s Next? The Champions League as Another Crucial Test

• Tonight’s match against Atletico is viewed as a crucial test of Arsenal’s resilience (10:51)
  • “Tonight is huge. The game against Atletico…if they can win tonight, the belief will be huge.” (Lineker, 10:51)
  • Shearer cautions about assuming City will win out:
    • “Man City…have got a couple of tough fixtures. Bournemouth away being one of them.” (Shearer, 11:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Football Stats and Prediction Pitfalls:
  “This is why the stats—you can’t always look at the stats. You got to use your eyes.”
  – Micah Richards, 01:37

• On the Shift in Atmosphere After Everton’s Goal:
  “Everton score, Everton fans go mad and it’s a brilliant atmosphere…and then Man City think, ‘we’re in massive trouble here.’”
  – Alan Shearer, 05:33

• On Arsenal’s Prospect of True Greatness:
  “Five games away from being legends of that football club, forever.”
  – Alan Shearer, 08:14

• On Doubts Over Arsenal’s Leadership:
  “People always question everything…but now’s the time to shut everybody up, isn’t it?”
  – Micah Richards, 09:05/09:52

• On the Importance of the Present Moment:
  “Got to do your talking on the field…and the only way to really silence everybody’s doubts is to do it.”
  – Gary Lineker, 10:17/11:12

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Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 01:37 | Pre-match predictions, match expectation traps | | 02:28 | City v Everton analysis, big moments | | 03:41 | Why City failed defensively | | 06:18 | City’s dropped points stat | | 07:58 | Can Arsenal see it through? Panel weighs in | | 08:38 | The prospect of an unprecedented double | | 09:05 | Arsenal’s mentality & media doubts | | 10:51 | Significance of Atletico match, pressure games | | 11:32 | Remaining fixtures, final thoughts |

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Tone & Chemistry

The episode features engaging back-and-forth, with Micah’s lively humor, Shearer’s forthright opinions, and Lineker’s perspective as a consummate host and analyst. Their honest disagreements, good-natured ribbing (e.g., about Alan’s Newcastle), and deep knowledge keep the conversation accessible and insightful for fans.

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Useful For...

• Listeners seeking a sharp, quick catch-up on the late-season Premier League title drama.
• Arsenal fans looking to gauge realistic optimism.
• Any football follower curious about the dynamics between stats, tactics, and mentality in the title run-in.

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For more in-depth episodes and analysis, visit goalhanger.com.

Transcript

[A]

This episode is powered by Fuse Energy. Before we kick off a quick pre match warm up from Fuse, a question on the teams and players who make things count. Which Premier League player scored the most goals as a substitute in 2425?

[B]

Duran is my answer.

[C]

It's not Duran. It's either Muniz or Wilson. I'm gonna go Wilson then.

[A]

Well, you're both wrong. It's Muniz. So the winner is the person that is closest to guessing the number of goals that Rodrigo Muniz scored coming off the bench last season.

[B]

Six.

[C]

I'll go one up then. Seven.

[A]

The answer is six. Yeah, it's the winner. Well done, Val. The best teams find an edge wherever they can. It should be the same with your energy. Take control of your energy like it's part of your game plan. Sign [e-mail] football using code football all uppercase to save on your energy Bill and get the chance to ask us your football question on the pod full terms and [e-mail]. Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football with Michael Richards, Alan Shearer and me, Gary Lineker. We thought we'd pop on because of, well, last night's game really between Manchester City and Everton where the title race was kind of flipping to and fro throughout the night.

[C]

Me and this donut was doing Match of the Day the other night on Sunday. We actually had fun. I thought Alexander was brilliant as usual. However, we fought Everton away. Me and I were speaking, we were saying it's a tough game. That and someone. I'm not going to name names because we don't want to call them out saying Everton's record against Man City the last nine games is terrible. So we thought it was going to be a tough game going to Everton. They convinced us it wasn't going to be a tough game because of the stats. This is why the stats. You can't always look at the stats. You got to use your eyes. So me and Alan have gone, oh no Seal win that easy. No problem because of the stats. And then look what goes and happens.

[A]

You both said really that there'll be twists and turns and not given. Both teams will win all their games and. And so it proved to be Alan.

[B]

Yeah, I didn't. I didn't think both teams would go through the rest of the season and win every single game. It's not. It's just not. It doesn't happen like that. I don't. I think. Not when the pressure's on as much as it is and teams Are apart

[A]

from when it was City and Liverpool.

[B]

Yeah, that was, that was very different though, wasn't it? That was incredible. But I just felt for this season it just wasn't going to happen. I mean it's a brilliant game. The energy and the tackles and everything else was just incredible. Everton, I thought, were outstanding, particularly the second half. I mean, how they got wired in and every single player was at it. They could have had a couple more, but for two or three brilliant saves from Donna Rummage. But then you have to hand it to Man City for coming back in the way they did. And that Haaland goal about three or four seconds after kickoff was the turning point, wasn't it? Once they got that, you felt because you knew there was going to be injury time, you just knew that that was going to happen. The two goals from, from Docker were outrageous. Brilliant. So you can imagine Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal players sat there. I mean they were. Without doubt they would have, they would have snapped your hands off and been praying for, for any other result than a City win. But in the way it happened, I guess the thing, oh, maybe it could have been better, but a brilliant night for Arsenal in the end.

[C]

What happened with Man City? Why the conceding three goals? What, what went wrong? Obviously I saw the highlights when I got back from Baller League, but it looked like there was mistakes that they don't usually make.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Was that caused by. You said Everton were good. Did they press high? What, what was the game like?

[A]

Well, Everton sat primarily, particularly in the first half, very deep, but. But City were vulnerable to the counter attack. Second half, it was a different game really. City were very dominant in the first half. They didn't create that many chances and obviously it's difficult when a team sits really deep and you know, they did the thing where they passed the ball, regurgitated around the others, there's a lot of that. Whereas they didn't get the ball in the box. Harland hardly touched the ball and. But you know, they were very much on top. And in the end a moment of absolute brilliance from Jeremy Doku bending it in the top corner with that left foot. And then you thought it gets to half time and you thought, well, Everton will have to push up a little bit now, so you fancy City to bang a few more in. But that didn't happen like that. And City, it's a bit like many City performances I think particularly perhaps we look at last season and one or two games this, this season as well, they're still Vulnerable, aren't they to teams that counter against them. But having said that, even before their first goal they had missed a couple of chances and die missed a really good chance. Brilliant bit of goalkeeping a couple of occasions from Donna Rummer. But you would have expected him to score because he's such a really good, talented player. But I think the turning point was the marque back pass. I mean it was so unlike him. He looked in shock when he did it. You know, in his defense he made an incredible tackle after that to stop another goal. But it was just one of those things, just kind of unforced error. But Everton did look dangerous every attack they made, didn't they?

[B]

I thought when Man City were leading it was a case of they didn't know whether to stick or twist. They do it. They were quite content. Well, we've got the vast majority passing. We'll just keep on passing it and passing it. And then all of a sudden Everton score. The Everton fans go mad and it's a brilliant atmosphere. And then they're playing on the front foot. They've got energy, you know what a goal does to change a game. And Everton and now got all the energy, got all the belief and they're piling forward and then all of a sudden Man City think we're actually, we're in massive trouble here. They concede the second one, they concede the third one. And it was like, oh, goodness me. And then it was that Harland goal after two or three seconds after the third goal, you're thinking, I think I know what's going to happen here.

[A]

I was thinking I might even go out and turn around completely. But that would have been absurd. I mean, interesting stat. I know you love stats, Micah. Manchester City have dropped the joint most points from winning positions in the Premier League since the turn of the year 12 level with spurs and Alan Newcastle.

[C]

Oh, you can get Newcastle in. Brilliant.

[B]

I didn't bring it in this time.

[A]

Well, I didn't mention I allowed you to. I allowed you to and we saw that, didn't we, last season. I mean they're not, as we've said many times, they're not quite the City. When they were going hammering tongs with Liverpool down the stretch and they're a work in progress but. And Rodri wasn't playing again and I think, you know, he was starting to come back to where we, you know, the Rodri of the pass, I think, I think that was a miss for them. But yeah, they just, I mean it's funny in the first Half. I was talking with the lads downstairs, my boys were here and saying, you know how good that partnership looks like it might be with Kusanoff and Mark Gay? Because the first half they were very dominant. Everton, although they did have one chance early on, Everton, but you thought they'd solid. But in front of them, it's, it's not quite the same. And they're still vulnerable on that counterattack.

[B]

I mean, Gehe makes the error. Kusanov made a couple of mistakes and that's when Andy should have, should have punished one of them when he took the ball off him. But for that good. See a poor missile. Yeah, they're not the same defensive. They do give you chances. I think a lot of the times teams haven't taken chances. Fine, that's, that's there.

[C]

But.

[B]

And, and I mean Everton scored three, could have been five last night. Should have been actually.

[C]

So bigger picture, guys. Now what we thinking? Arsenal. Do you think there's another twist, Alan?

[B]

No, because I think Arsenal will win all three games.

[A]

Well, if they do, they will be Premier League champions for the first time for a long, long time.

[B]

When you think about Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal players now are five games. We're doing this on Tuesday before the Champions League. Five games away from being legends of that football club forever. Forever. I mean, they can win the Champions League and the wicking that win the Premier League. Win three in the Premier League, they're done. Win two in the Champions League. The Champions, it's like five games away.

[A]

It's a double the club's never done. And despite the huge success in the past, obviously many, many times have been successful from, from way back when, up until, you know, the George Graham days and Arsene Wenger days. But none of them, none of those coaches have ever won this particular double.

[B]

Five games away, guys.

[C]

Don't you think it's weird though? And people question the leadership, don't they, of Arsenal?

[A]

People always question everything.

[C]

Yeah, but the question the. Can they get over the line, the style of play and all, all those sort of things, but actually they're getting over the line. You know, they could get over the line and yes, at times it's not been pretty. Yes, you want a little bit more firepower from up front, but ultimately they've done what they've needed to do. Yes, they've had a little bit of help. It's been in Man City's hands. If they would have won last night. Well, it was a straight shootout, wasn't it? Was 50, 50. Now they've got the advantage again now they need to. They need to take it by the scruff of the neck and just say, okay, we can go win against Atletico tonight, no problem. You look at that squad. There's nothing they can worry about. They can beat West Ham. Although West Ham are fighting for their lives, they actually are fighting for their safety in the Premier League. They don't want championship football. Nobody wants that, do they? But now they just need to go and do that. They need to believe it and show to everyone that they can do it. Because when people are constantly questioning, have they got the leadership, have they got the mindset? Mindset, are they going to bottle it again? Now's the time to shut everybody up, isn't it?

[A]

Got to do your talking on the field and, you know, everyone will have opinions and the, you know, the noise and all this. But what a position they're in. West Ham away, which, you know, as you quite rightly said, I think of the three fixtures, probably the most difficult, Burnley at home, already relegated. Crystal palace away, almost certainly will be in the final of the Conference League, which will be their final.

[B]

So he'll rest players, there's no doubt if. If they're in the final, which it looks as if they're be. He'll rest players. So that. So it's be. I think if. If they win this weekend against West Ham, it's almost done.

[A]

Tonight is huge. Tonight is huge. The game against Atletico, just. Just for their. Their mental strength, really. If they can win tonight, the belief will be huge because they'll have both things to go for. If they stutter tonight and Atletico somehow managed to win and they're. They're tough opposition, especially with Diego Simeone. It won't be easy, but if. If they don't do it tonight, then that adds to the pressure going into that game at West Ham. But, you know, they're almost there. They're almost there and the only way to really silence everybody's doubts is to do it.

[B]

And that's, by the way, that's just presuming that Man City are going to win every single game as well, which they'd have to do if. So they've got. They've got a couple of tough fixtures. Bournemouth away being one of them.

[A]

Yeah, that is a hard game.

[B]

So, yeah, it was a big, big night for Arsenal last night. Big night.

[A]

Big night for them tonight. But what a couple of weeks it might be at the end of the season. We shall see. Thanks for jumping on Micah and Alan for this episode.

[B]

Goodbye from me goodbye from me.