Nico Gonzalez’s 25-yard strike secured a 2-1 victory over Southampton to book City’s place in a record-breaking fourth consecutive FA Cup Final.
Manchester City officially sat top of the Premier League on goals scored in midweek, before Arsenal responded with a 1-0 win over Newcastle having played a game more.
With the Carabao Cup already in the trophy cabinet, Gonzalez’s confidence reflects a squad that believes a second domestic treble in the Guardiola era is now a serious possibility.
Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final hero Nico Gonzalez believes he and his teammates are now the clear favourites to win this season’s Premier League title.
The 24-year-old Spaniard has become an important cog in Pep Guardiola’s midfield this season, offering a much clearer sight of his capabilities since his high-profile move from Porto in January 2025.
His performance at Wembley was a masterclass in control, capped off by a long-range effort that broke Southampton’s 20-game unbeaten run, maintaining defiance among players knowing that five wins from a final five games will guarantee another Premier League crown.
The psychological shift in the title race has been palpable over the last week after City defeated Burnley 1-0 on Wednesday to move level with Arsenal and ahead on goals scored, and that result off the back of a 2-1 win over the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium.
Gonzalez, who has filled the void left by Rodri and his injuries with remarkable ease at various times this season, is now a leading voice in a dressing room that feels City’s title-winning knowhow is perhaps starting to overwhelm Mikel Arteta’s challengers.
Speaking to Viaplay, Nico Gonzalez insisted upon his belief that he and his Manchester City teammates are now the favourites to beat Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and claim this season’s Premier League title.
“For me, yeah, we are favourites because I trust my team-mates. I trust the whole team,” Gonzalez insisted.
The Spaniard continued, “I always believe we’re the best team. I guess them [Arsenal], they might think they’re favourites.”
The “favourites” tag will be put to the test immediately as Manchester City travel to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in early May to face an Everton side still aiming for European football qualification in the final weeks of the season.
By the time kick-off comes around on Merseyside, City could find themselves six points behind Arsenal having played two games fewer, with the Gunners hosting Fulham on Saturday evening at the Emirates Stadium.
With Manchester City currently on a three-day break from football duties, Pep Guardiola could be sweating on the fitness of Rodri, who has been absent from the last two matches with a calf issue sustained during the win over Arsenal.
Should Manchester City navigate the trip to Merseyside unscathed, they face a final run-in against Brentford and Aston Villa at home, while a further home meeting with Crystal Palace and an away trip to Bournemouth are yet to have confirmed dates in the diary.