Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believes the two games between Arsenal and Manchester City are likely to prove decisive in the title race this season.

While City closed to within five points of the Gunners after their win over Chelsea on Thursday night, Carragher still feels that if Mikel Arteta’s side can get the better of their opponents in the head-to-head fixtures, it may be enough to finish top:

“I think a lot of it will come down to the two games against Manchester City. If Arsenal want to win the title, they have to take four points off Manchester City I’d expect, and that would put them in a great position.”

“But I think Arsenal have been absolutely fantastic; they don’t need to worry because they dropped two points. That’s going to happen. Man City’s last three home games, I think they drew with Everton, lost to Brentford and scored a last minute goal against Fulham, I think.”

“You can drop points at home and Arsenal dropped points against the best defence in the league right now, so there’s no need to panic.”

Arsenal face City at the Emirates in the rearranged fixture on February 15th, before Arteta’s men head to the Etihad at the end of April. Getting four points from those two matches will be extremely difficult but, if the Gunners want to become champions, it is something that they may have to do.

There are, of course, nineteen other games remaining but Carragher seems to be confident that Arsenal do have the staying power, despite their minor blip versus Newcastle on Tuesday evening.