Like a sky blue juggernaut, Manchester City have begun to fill Arsenal’s rearview mirror and on Wednesday the reigning champions have the chance to begin their over-taking manoeuvre on the road to a fifth Premier League title in six years.

A match that has loomed on the fixture list for months as a likely title-decider now feels like a must-win game for an Arsenal side whose hold on the summit is coming loose.

City manager Pep Guardiola urged fans to turn up the volume at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. “It is a final against a team that has been the best team in England so far and is five points ahead of us,” Guardiola told reporters.

Coach Mikel Arteta discusses a point with captain Martin Odegaard. Twitter

“I know even though they have drawn the last three games, the way they play in big, big parts of the game, it is difficult to stop ... It’s a massive, important game for us. We know winning will give us a step to putting it completely in our hands.

“The Premier League is 11 months working, working, working. And we want to take this opportunity. We cannot do it alone. Hopefully, all the Etihad will be full three hours before the game.”

While treble-chasing City have been churning out the wins, just as they usually do at the business end of a season, Arsenal’s young pretenders have been struck by vertigo.

They could have been going to City with a double-digit points lead but after surrendering 2-0 advantages to draw consecutive away games 2-2 at Liverpool and West Ham United, they were then held to a frenzied 3-3 draw by bottom club Southampton last Friday.

Arsenal still have a five-point lead with six games to play but City have two matches in hand and look irresistible having collected 25 points from the last 27 on offer.

Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have sacked interim coach Cristian Stellini on Monday after they suffered a 6-1 humiliation at Newcastle United that put their top-four hopes in jeopardy.