Man City's next five Premier League matches compared to Liverpool and Arsenal

Manchester City have a season-defining run of fixtures coming up as they try to retain their Premier League crown.

City endured a difficult first half, and on another day, they could have been in front through Erling Haaland, but his header went just over the crossbar. The miss came back to haunt them just before the break, when Raheem Sterling cut inside Kyle Walker to fire home.

With less than ten minutes remaining, City's pressure finally told as Rodri's strike deflected past the goalkeeper. Despite pouring on the pressure, the Blues just could not find a winner, and they had to settle for a point.

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The draw was a blow to City's title challenge after Liverpool and Arsenal's big victories earlier in the day, but it is hopefully just a minor setback. With this in mind, MEN Sport has taken a look at the Blues' next five Premier League fixtures compared to their title rivals.

Brentford (H) - February 20

AFC Bournemouth (A) - February 24

Manchester United (H) - March 3

Liverpool (A) - March 10

Brighton and Hove Albion (A) - March 17

Verdict

After straightforward clashes on paper against Brentford and Bournemouth, City have a trio of tough fixtures before they face Arsenal. The United and Liverpool doubleheader is a nasty banana skin for Pep Guardiola's side.

The Manchester derby is a trickier prospect than it seemed just a few weeks ago, with Erik ten Hag's side improving while City are guaranteed a tough clash against Jurgen Klopp's men. The trip a week later to the South Coast cannot be underestimated either, considering the Seagulls' qualities, so this period could define how the Blues' Premier League campaign