Arsenal have been given clear evidence they cannot make the same mistake fourth year running after Manchester City’s £84million spree could steal them the Premier League title
anchester City have come storming up the table to overtake Arsenal as things stand on goals scored. While they’re level on points and goal difference, the Gunners’ defeats against Bournemouth and Pep Guardiola’s side have evened the playing field with five games remaining.
The title collapse as it is being labelled until the Gunners respond to halt their slide has come about as a result of several factors. A drop in form, which Mikel Arteta has regularly pointed to, is the absence of key players as a result.
Speaking after the defeat to Bournemouth, he was asked about whether the drop in form had been down to nerves and tension. However, his answer took the conversation in a different direction.
“We need everything,” he said. “We need, first of all, we need everybody fit and available.
“So the ones that are not involved, the ones that are not with us, that are really big, important players, we need them immediately with us because then we’re going to be much stronger.
“And then the other ones, they need to stand up. Me, the first one, and embrace this challenge and go for it.”
The clear indication that absences like Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard in recent weeks have been critical. On the other side of the race, Man City have been coming good at the perfect time, with few players missing, only the long-term absence of Josko Gvardiol, which the club reacted to in January.
In fact, the £84million double signing of Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo has transformed the club’s form at both ends of the field. Whereas, in the same window, Arsenal did nothing.