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Arsenal prepare to finish the Premier League season strong as they contest their final home match of 2025/26 by facing Burnley on Monday.
The Gunners sit two points clear at the top of the league standings, with Manchester City hot on their heels. City also hold a one-goal differential advantage as well as seven more goals scored, so Arsenal will need to get their attack in gear if they are to turn around the tiebreakers in their favour.
With just the season finale on the road at Crystal Palace left on the table for Arsenal, the title race comes down to these last two games, needing to win both to guarantee they lift the trophy.
The Sporting News is following the Arsenal vs. Burnley match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis.
Arsenal vs. Burnley live score
Location: Emirates Stadium (London, England)
Referee: Paul Tierney
Starting lineups:
Arsenal (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Raya (GK) — 3. Mosquera, 2. Saliba, 6. Gabriel, 33. Calafiori — 8. Odegaard, 41. Rice, Eze — 7. Saka, Havertz, 19. Trossard.
Burnley (4-3-3, right to left): 13. Weiss (GK) — 2. Walker, 6. Tuanzebe, 5. Esteve, 23. Pires — 28. Mejbri, 16. Florentino, 8. Ugochukwu — 17. Tchaouna, 19. Flemming, 11. Anthony
MORE: An up-to-date list of the Premier League top goal scorers for the 2025/26 season
Arsenal vs. Burnley key moments, highlights
HALFTIME: Arsenal 1-0 Burnley
At the break, Arsenal have their all-important goal through Kai Havertz, their 18th goal from corners this season. As it stands, any dropped points from Man City in their final two matches would see the Gunners confirmed as Premier League title winners.
It is likely from this point on that Arsenal will begin to choke the life out of the match, now that they have their lead. We’ll see how much Mikel Arteta sticks to his usual plan, or if he lets his team off the leash a bit given the attacking lineup currently on the field.
37th min: GOAL! ARSENAL! The pressure is mounting as Riccardo Calafiori’s end-line pullback comes to a wide open Martin Odegaard, but his shot deflects off Lesley Ugochukwu and goes out for a corner! That’s a huge opportunity, as there were no defenders anywhere near Odegaard!
Off the ensuing corner…KAI HAVERTZ SCORES!!!! Arsenal profit off their favoured set-piece chance like they have all season long! William Saliba blocks off the goalkeeper, and Bukayo Saka’s ball right to the centre of the six-yard box sees Havertz head in from close range!
Watch Kai Havertz goal in USA:
ARSENAL GOAL 🚨🚨🚨
Kai Havertz jumps highest and delivers. The Gunners 26th goal off a corner kick 🔥
🔴 Arsenal: 1
🔵 Burnley: 0
⏱️ 37’ pic.twitter.com/dexaXkcILZ— USA Sports (@usasports) May 18, 2026
HIGHLIGHT: Watch Kai Havertz goal in UK
34th min: Chance, Arsenal! A HUGE PENALTY SHOUT FOR ARSENAL WAVED AWAY! Bukayo Saka goes down right on the doorstep of the goal mouth, and the referee says no as the ball trickles into the arms of the goalkeeper!
The contact is very light as Saka steps across the path of Lucas Pires and reaches the ball first before toppling to the ground, unable to get a shot off. A VAR check does take place, but it’s cleared as the goal-line replay angle shows that Pires manages to get a slight touch on the ball.
28th min: Hannibal Mejbri picks up the game’s first yellow card, which has been coming.
15th min: Chance, Arsenal! THE GUNNERS HIT THE POST! It’s been all Arsenal through the opening 15 minutes of the match, and Leandro Trossard takes aim from outside the penalty area and smacks the left post past a diving Max Weiss, cannoning straight back out to a Burnley defender who clears!
Watch Arsenal chance in USA:
Leandro Trossard off the post 🤯
🔴Arsenal: 0
🔵 Burnley: 0
⏱️ 14’ pic.twitter.com/Apc4IVKrZT— USA Sports (@usasports) May 18, 2026
KICKOFF: The match is under way at The Emirates! Can Arsenal take their potentially final step in securing the Premier League title? The atmosphere in North London is absolutely electric as Arsenal fans can taste the trophy!
No Premier League team has ever suffered defeat from this advantageous of a position in the table, but there have been dropped points before!
58 – Tonight is only the 13th time in Premier League history there’s been a gap of 58 or more points between two teams before a match (Arsenal on 79, Burnley on 21).
The team ahead in the table has never lost from an advantage that big (W10 D2).
Chasm. pic.twitter.com/90hVv1YQ9B
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 18, 2026
Lineups: The starting XI’s have been submitted! There’s a real attacking flair about Arsenal’s lineup, as Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard both start in the midfield, while Kai Havertz returns from injury and gets the nod up front, flanked by Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard. Is Mikel Arteta going for broke with the Premier League title on the line? Sure seems like it!
Meanwhile, there are no surprises for Burnley who will hope to play spoilers in the title hunt.
Arsenal have arrived pic.twitter.com/53H0OWXrEn
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) May 18, 2026
Prematch: Welcome to coverage from The Sporting News of Arsenal vs. Burnley! Let’s talk Premier League title scenarios.
There’s no way for Arsenal to clinch the title today, but there is a chance the Gunners could be champions by the time they take the field at Selhurst Park on the 24th for their final match. If Arsenal win today, and Manchester City drop any points against Bournemouth tomorrow, then Arsenal will be confirmed as Premier League title winners.
Otherwise, it will go down to the final day of the season!
Arsenal vs. Burnley talking points, analysis
Following the game, this section will be updated with analysis of the Arsenal vs. Burnley match.
Arsenal vs. Burnley reaction
Following the game, this section will be updated with post-match reaction from Mikel Arteta and Mike Jackson.
Arsenal vs. Burnley team news
Arsenal team news
MORE: An in-depth rundown of all the latest Arsenal team news and injuries
- Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino are both likely out for the remainder of the Premier League season due to injury, but the two players are efforting to be fit for the Champions League final on May 30, and there is hope they could be ready for that big game.
- Ben White suffered a recent knee injury that has ended his season and put his participation at the World Cup for England in major doubt.
Burnley team news
- The only player missing for Burnley is captain Josh Cullen who suffered an ACL tear in late December that will keep him out the rest of the season, and possibly a few games early in the 2026/27 campaign as he works his way back.
