Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, runners-up to Manchester City in the past two seasons, now trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by seven points after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday. This result leaves the Gunners with a steep challenge in the title race.
Historically, only Blackburn Rovers in 1994 have overcome a larger gap at this stage, trailing by eight points but with a game in hand. Other clubs to recover significant deficits of six points after 10 games include Manchester United in 2002-03 and Manchester City in both 2013-14 and 2020-21.
Arsenal’s recent struggles have seen them drop to fourth in the table, now below Nottingham Forest, and go three league matches without a win. The team has already dropped almost half as many points as they did in the entirety of last season. Former Arsenal captain Martin Keown, speaking on BBC Final Score, criticized their performance, stating: “They didn’t play like champions. It’s going to be a difficult dressing room now.”
Arsenal’s statistics highlight their challenges:
- They’ve conceded first in four of their last six Premier League games, matching their total from the previous 31 matches combined.
- The Gunners have lost back-to-back away league games for the first time since May 2022.
- In five Premier League away games this season, they’ve managed just 37 shots (7.4 per game), the second-lowest tally in the league.
Manager Mikel Arteta emphasized the need to focus on improving performance rather than worrying about title hopes. Reflecting on the defeat, he said, “We weren’t our best version. It’s not about hope; it’s about showing our best selves every week. Today, we fell short.”
Arsenal’s title aspirations have also been hindered by injuries, notably to captain Martin Ødegaard, who has been sidelined since September with an ankle ligament injury. Keown and other analysts have noted his absence as a key factor in Arsenal’s struggles, with former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock describing Ødegaard as “the key player” for his creativity and decisive passing.
While Manchester City also stumbled this weekend with a loss to Bournemouth, pundits, including Joe Cole, believe the competitive nature of this season’s title race could lower the points threshold for success. However, Arsenal’s inconsistent form raises doubts about their ability to dethrone City, champions in six of the last seven seasons.
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