Arsenal vs Manchester City: Trophy Comparison and Head-to-Head Record
The upcoming 2026/27 season will see Manchester City and Arsenal clash once again, with their overall trophy counts nearly neck and neck. After finishing second in the Premier League three times in a row, twice behind City, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal finally ended a 22-year wait for a league title in the 2025/26 season.
While many expect Arsenal to defend their crown, City, now managed by Enzo Maresca after Pep Guardiola’s departure, will seek to assert their dominance starting with the Community Shield match in Cardiff. Yet, this modern rivalry is just a small chapter in the long histories of two clubs whose successes stretch back over a century.
Trophy Totals: Arsenal Slightly Ahead
When considering major trophies, Arsenal hold a slight edge with 32 compared to City's 31. Arsenal has been a major force throughout English football history, but City's earliest trophy dates back to their 1904 FA Cup win. City's rise in the 21st century has closed what used to be a substantial gap between the clubs.
League Titles Comparison
- Arsenal: 14 league titles (including their 2025/26 Premier League win), ranking third all-time behind Liverpool and Manchester United, each with 20.
- Manchester City: 10 league titles, eight of which came during the Premier League era.
- City also share the record for most second division titles in English football history with seven, tied with Leicester City, though these are not counted as major honors.
Cup Competitions
The 2026 League Cup final marked only the second time Arsenal and City faced off in a major final. Their first meeting was in the 2018 League Cup, where City won 3-0 with goals from club legends Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, and David Silva.
- League Cup titles: City have nine, Arsenal only two.
- FA Cup titles: Arsenal lead with 14; City have eight.
Interestingly, despite sharing 22 FA Cup wins between them, the clubs have never met in an FA Cup final. Arsenal holds the record for most FA Cup wins. In the 2026 Community Shield, Arsenal secured their 18th victory with a commanding 3-0 win over City.
Domestic Trophies Overview
- First Division / Premier League: Man City 10 (last in 2023/24), Arsenal 14 (last in 2025/26)
- FA Cup: Man City 8 (last in 2025/26), Arsenal 14 (last in 2019/20)
- League Cup: Man City 9 (last in 2025/26), Arsenal 2 (last in 1992/93)
- Total Domestic Major: Man City 27, Arsenal 30
- FA Community Shield: Man City 7 (last in 2024), Arsenal 18 (last in 2026)
- Second Division / First Division: Man City 7 (last in 2001/02), Arsenal 0
- Total Domestic Other: Man City 14, Arsenal 18
European and Global Honors
On the European front, City have achieved more, notably with their 2023 Champions League win, something Arsenal has yet to accomplish. Both clubs have won the now-defunct European Cup Winners' Cup once each – City in 1969/70 and Arsenal in 1993/94.
Despite both participating in UEFA competitions, they have never faced each other in European matches, partly due to UEFA rules limiting same-country teams from meeting before knockout stages, a restriction that only eased with the introduction of the 'Swiss model' in 2024/25.
- UEFA Champions League: Man City 1 (2022/23), Arsenal 0
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: Both 1 each
- Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: Arsenal 1 (1969/70), City 0
- UEFA Super Cup: Man City 1 (2023), Arsenal 0
- FIFA Club World Cup: Man City 1 (2023), Arsenal 0
- Total Global Titles: Man City 4, Arsenal 2
Head-to-Head Record
The two teams have met 217 times across all competitions. Arsenal leads with 101 wins, while City has 67 victories and there have been 49 draws. Most meetings have taken place in league matches, where Arsenal also leads.
- League matches: 196 total, Arsenal 89 wins, City 60 wins, 47 draws
- FA Cup: 6 matches, Arsenal 4 wins, City 2 wins, no draws
- EFL Cup: 11 matches, Arsenal 5 wins, City 5 wins, 1 draw
- Community Shield: 4 matches, Arsenal 3 wins, City 0 wins, 1 draw
- European play: No meetings
