Arsenal still hold a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League, but a shaky performance against Wolves and a growing number of injuries are becoming a real concern.
Mikel Arteta will never have a better chance of winning the Premier League title. And if Arsenal fail to win this season, there may be doubts whether they can even achieve it under Arteta.
It will be a test not just of Arsenal’s quality but also of their courage, as the race looks set to be the closest it has ever been. From a position where it looked like Arsenal could win back-to-back games, the gap in the top three between Manchester City and Aston Villa is now just three points, too close for comfort.
City in particular look an ominous force with Erling Haaland continuing his form, Phil Foden back to his best and Pep Guardiola’s belief that a new generation of talent can take them back to the title. Villa are doing well and suddenly Arsenal look nervous, concerned and worried about their performance.
They have finished runner-up in each of the past three seasons. They were overtaken twice by City in the final furlong and were overtaken by Liverpool last season when Guardiola was off.
Arsenal spent big money in the summer and now it’s their turn, but Liverpool’s stunning away defeat opened the door.
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Few expected City to do so well after last season’s big changes and turmoil, but Villa were the surprise package. However, Arteta has done a fantastic job at rebuilding the club and making them serious contenders for both the Premier League and Champions League.
One should not underestimate how difficult it is to lift a group of players after one, two, or even three near misses. Arteta must have something special to convince players like William Saliba to stay and commit themselves for the long term when they could be drafted by Europe’s top clubs.
They believe in the manager and the club shares that belief. This is because we supported him with all our might in the summer, and the current team should be strong enough to cross the line. Arteta’s problem is a worrying injury list that threatens to spoil his season for the second year in a row.
Arsenal looked sharp against Wolves. Slow and heavy. The pressure is on. Maybe it was a day off. However, the signs are alarming and they need to quickly rediscover their charm.
They have only picked up two points in their last three away games against Sunderland, Chelsea and Villa, when they could have picked up nine points. We can’t afford to go wrong again against Everton on Saturday.
However, questions should be asked about the team’s management. Why are there so many injuries? It can’t all be bad luck. Part of this may be due to players being left fatigued, overplaying or overtraining, making them more susceptible to injuries and strains.
After a small turmoil, they have to cope during a tough Christmas period. They play Everton on Saturday, Crystal Palace next Tuesday in the Carabao Cup, Brighton on December 27th and Villa again three days later.
Arsenal must put up a big performance and result to underline their intentions for a season that will define Arteta’s reign.
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