All nine players have featured this season, but may be left with nothing to show for their efforts

the premier league title race is reaching that stage where everything starts to feel heavy every match every decision every moment begins to carry real meaning and right now the battle between Arsenal and Manchester City is turning into something dramatic something tense something that could go down to the very last weeks of the season and what makes it even more interesting is not just who will win the title but also which players will actually be remembered as part of that success because in football even when a team wins not everybody gets the same reward not everybody gets the medal and that is where the story becomes painful for some players and emotional for others

arsenal looked like they had everything under control just a few weeks ago they were flying they were winning games with confidence and they had opened up a big gap at the top of the table nine points clear and fans were already dreaming about ending that long wait for a title a wait that has lasted since the famous invincible season under Arsene Wenger a team that went a whole season unbeaten something that still feels almost impossible in modern football

but football can change very fast one bad result one unexpected defeat and suddenly everything looks different that is exactly what happened when arsenal slipped up against bournemouth a result that shocked many people and at the same time Manchester City did what they always do they won their game they beat Chelsea in a strong and confident performance and just like that the gap dropped from nine points to six and now the pressure is back

suddenly the title race is alive again suddenly there is fear there is belief there is tension and the next match between arsenal and man city is now looking like a final before the final a game that could decide everything because if city win they can close the gap even more and with a game in hand they could even go level on points and from that moment anything can happen

for Mikel Arteta this is a huge moment in his career he is trying to do something special he is trying to become one of the few people who have played in the premier league and also won it as a manager something only Roberto Mancini has done before with man city and arteta knows this is his chance this is the moment to prove everything he has been building at arsenal is real

players like Declan Rice have been key to this journey strong in midfield leading by example controlling games and helping arsenal stay consistent while defenders like Gabriel Magalhaes and goalkeeper David Raya have given the team stability and confidence at the back

on the other side Pep Guardiola is chasing history again he already has multiple premier league titles and he wants another one he wants to show that his team is still the best still the most dangerous when it matters most and with players like Rodri controlling the midfield Bernardo Silva creating magic and Erling Haaland scoring goals city always have that edge that fear factor that makes other teams nervous

but while the stars get the headlines there is another story happening quietly in the background a story about medals about recognition about who will be remembered and who might be forgotten because the premier league has a rule and that rule is simple if a team wins the title a player must play at least five league games to automatically receive a winners medal

and that rule is now creating tension inside both squads

at arsenal there are young players who have been part of the journey but may not get the reward players like Marli Salmon and Tommy Setford have played in cup competitions they have trained with the first team they have been involved in the squad but they have not played in the league and that means if arsenal win they might not receive a medal

then there is the young talent Max Dowman only 16 years old already making headlines already scoring his first premier league goal a special moment a dream start but even with that he is still short of the five games needed he is close very close and there is still time but nothing is guaranteed

imagine being that young being part of a title winning squad scoring a goal and still not getting a medal it would feel strange it would feel unfair but that is the reality of the rules

even more surprising is the situation of Kepa Arrizabalaga an experienced player someone who has played at the highest level but since joining arsenal he has not featured in the league he has played in cup games but in the premier league he has been behind david raya and if things do not change he could miss out on a medal as well

over at man city the situation is similar maybe even more complicated

Mateo Kovacic is one of the biggest names at risk he is a top player with experience quality and intelligence but injuries have kept him out for most of the season he recently returned and played a few minutes against chelsea which is good news but he still needs more appearances to reach that five game mark time is running out and every match now feels like a race against the clock

young defender Max Alleyne has also had limited chances he started the season away on loan and was brought back to help the team during an injury crisis he has played a couple of league games but with new signings and more competition his chances have reduced and reaching five appearances will not be easy

then there is Reigan Heskey a name that reminds many fans of his father Emile Heskey he is young still developing still learning he has been around the squad he has been on the bench but he has not really played in the league just a few minutes in cup competitions and that means his chances of getting a medal are very small

the same goes for Charlie Gray and Ryan McAidoo young players with potential players with dreams but this season might end without that special reward even if their team wins everything

and this is where the story becomes emotional because football is not just about the players on the pitch it is also about those behind the scenes those who train every day those who push their teammates those who are ready when needed even if they do not always play

the good news is that there is still a small hope the premier league gives 40 medals to the winning club and while players who have played five games must receive one the club can decide how to use the remaining medals they can give them to other players to staff to people who contributed in different ways

but even that is not simple because the club may need approval to give extra medals and that process is not always guaranteed

so now as the season moves closer to the end there are two battles happening at the same time one for the title and one for recognition one for glory and one for belonging

for the big stars the mission is clear win the league lift the trophy celebrate with the fans but for others it is more personal it is about getting minutes it is about reaching that number it is about making sure their contribution is not forgotten

imagine the feeling of watching your team win the league knowing you were part of the journey but not having a medal to show for it that is a different kind of pain a quiet pain something that stays with a player for a long time

at the same time imagine the joy of a young player like max dowman if he gets one more appearance and secures his medal at just 16 years old that would be a story to remember forever

this is what makes football so powerful so emotional so unpredictable because behind every trophy there are stories behind every celebration there are players with different experiences different emotions different endings

as arsenal and man city prepare for their massive clash everything is on the line pride pressure history and for some players even their place in that history

because at the end of the season when the champions are crowned people will remember the winners people will remember the goals the big moments the celebrations but only a few will remember the players who were close but not quite there

and that is why every minute matters now every substitution every injury every decision from Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola could change not just the title race but also the personal stories of these players

the race is tight the pressure is real and the finish line is getting closer

and somewhere in the middle of all this drama some players are not just fighting for a title

they are fighting for a medal for recognition for a place in history

and that makes this title race even more intense even more human and even more unforgettable