Arsenal and Manchester City are two of the biggest clubs in English football, and both have enjoyed periods of incredible success in the Premier League. However, when it comes to the number of Premier League titles, Manchester City currently have the clear advantage.
As of 2026, Manchester City have won eight Premier League titles, while Arsenal have won four. Arsenal's latest championship came in the 2025/26 season, ending a 22-year wait for another Premier League trophy. Manchester City's eight titles put them second on the all-time Premier League winners list, behind Manchester United's 13.
But the comparison between Arsenal and Manchester City is about more than simply counting trophies. The two clubs have very different histories, and their periods of dominance have come at different times.
Manchester City Have More Premier League Titles
The answer is straightforward: Manchester City have more Premier League titles than Arsenal.
Manchester City have won the Premier League eight times:
2011/12
2013/14
2017/18
2018/19
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
Arsenal have won the Premier League four times:
1997/98
2001/02
2003/04
2025/26
The Premier League's official records confirm that City have eight titles and Arsenal have four.
Therefore, Manchester City currently have twice as many Premier League titles as Arsenal.
Arsenal's Premier League History
Arsenal were one of the strongest clubs in English football long before the Premier League began in 1992. However, when discussing Premier League titles specifically, their history consists of four championships.
Arsenal's first Premier League title came in the 1997/98 season under legendary manager Arsène Wenger. Wenger transformed Arsenal's style of football and helped establish the club as one of England's leading teams.
Arsenal won another championship in 2001/02 before producing one of the most famous seasons in Premier League history.
The Invincibles
The 2003/04 Arsenal team is remembered as the Invincibles because they completed the entire Premier League campaign without losing a match.
Led by players such as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pirès, Dennis Bergkamp and Ashley Cole, Arsenal finished the season as champions.
That achievement remains one of the greatest accomplishments in Premier League history.
However, Arsenal then entered a long period without another Premier League title. Their next championship would not arrive until the 2025/26 season.
Arsenal Ended a 22-Year Wait
Arsenal finally returned to the top of the Premier League in the 2025/26 season.
Mikel Arteta's team had finished as runners-up in three consecutive seasons before finally winning the championship. Arsenal were confirmed as champions after Manchester City drew with AFC Bournemouth, making it impossible for City to catch them. Arsenal eventually finished seven points ahead of City.
The championship was especially significant because Arsenal had not won the Premier League since the 2003/04 Invincibles season.
The 2025/26 title was therefore Arsenal's fourth Premier League championship and ended a 22-year wait.
Manchester City's Rise to Premier League Dominance
Manchester City's Premier League history is very different.
Although City won the English top-flight title before the Premier League era, their transformation into a dominant Premier League force came mainly from the 2010s onward.
Their breakthrough Premier League championship came in 2011/12. The title was dramatically secured on the final day of the season when Sergio Agüero scored his famous stoppage-time goal against Queens Park Rangers.
City then won another championship in 2013/14.
However, their greatest period of Premier League dominance began under Pep Guardiola.
The Pep Guardiola Era
Pep Guardiola became Manchester City's manager in 2016, and his influence on the club was enormous.
City won the Premier League in 2017/18, producing one of the most dominant seasons in competition history. They collected 100 points, becoming the first team to reach that total in Premier League history.
City successfully defended the title in 2018/19.
They then went on to win the Premier League again in 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24.
According to Premier League records, Manchester City became the first club to win four consecutive Premier League titles, achieving the feat from 2020/21 through 2023/24.
That remarkable run explains why City's title total has grown so quickly in recent years.
Arsenal vs Manchester City: Different Eras of Success
Comparing Arsenal and Manchester City purely by Premier League titles gives City a clear advantage. But the story becomes more interesting when their eras of success are considered.
Arsenal were one of the Premier League's defining clubs during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their rivalry with Manchester United was particularly important during that period.
Manchester City, meanwhile, became one of the Premier League's dominant clubs during the 2010s and 2020s.
This means that Arsenal's greatest Premier League achievements came earlier, while City's biggest period of dominance has been more recent.
Who Has Been More Dominant?
If the question is specifically about Premier League dominance, Manchester City have the stronger argument.
Eight titles compared with four is a significant difference. City's run of four consecutive championships is also an extraordinary achievement.
Their 2017/18 team won 100 points, while their 2020/21–2023/24 run established an unprecedented four-year sequence of Premier League championships.
However, Arsenal have their own historical achievements that City cannot simply overlook.
The Invincibles season remains one of the most famous campaigns in Premier League history, and Arsenal's 2025/26 championship showed that the club had returned to the highest level after decades of waiting.
What About Overall English League Titles?
There is an important distinction between Premier League titles and English top-flight titles.
The Premier League began in 1992, but English football's top division existed long before that.
When the entire history of English top-flight football is considered, Arsenal have won considerably more league championships than their four Premier League titles suggest.
Following their 2025/26 championship, Arsenal have won the English top-flight title 14 times in total. Manchester City's official honours list records their top-flight championships from both before and after the Premier League era.
Therefore, someone asking about "league titles" may get a different answer depending on whether they mean Premier League championships or all English top-flight championships.
Arsenal vs Manchester City Today
The rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester City has become one of the most important in modern English football.
During the early 2020s, City repeatedly finished above Arsenal in the title race. Arsenal came extremely close to winning the championship several times before finally achieving it in 2025/26.
That makes the 2025/26 season particularly important to their rivalry.
Arsenal proved that City's dominance could be challenged, while City remained one of the most successful clubs of the Premier League era.
The fact that Arsenal and City finished first and second in 2025/26 also demonstrated how significant their rivalry had become.
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