Arsenal crashed out of the Europa League on penalties at the hands of Sporting Lisbon in the Round of 16 after playing out a 3-3 draw over the course of the two legs. Although the Gunners will be disappointed to miss out on a place in the quarter-finals, it might be a blessing in disguise for their ambition of closing out the Premier League title for the first time in almost 20 years.
Arsenal last lifted the top-flight crown in 2004 and have endured a number of frustrating seasons, consistently falling short in their bid to return to the top of English football. The dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool has prevented the Gunners from getting anywhere near top spot, and the club have failed to finish in the top four for the past six years. Therefore, their dramatic rise to the top this term has been surprising.
There is still a long way to go and the lurking presence of City on the back of Arsenal’s neck will be a huge concern for Mikel Arteta down the stretch. City are not going away. Although they are underdogs in the odds for winning the league, they are still an option for an outside bet, or a candidate for a free bet from BetMGM on OddsChecker that can be used on football. Pep Guardiola and his team could still snatch away the crown from the Gunners, which would be their fifth in the last six seasons.
Emulating City
However, there is an interesting mirror image between Arsenal and the first City side to win the Premier League in the 2011/12 season. Back then, Manchester United were dominant in the Premier League, sweeping all before them to win four of the last five titles. City, under Roberto Mancini, were in a position to break their rivals’ stranglehold over the top flight, and had a blessing in disguise of their own after losing to Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League round of 16 on away goals.
A three-match winless run in March allowed United to close the gap and put the pressure on Mancini’s men, but City then reeled off five wins on the bounce to take a narrow lead on goal difference in the final week of the campaign. Then came Sergio Aguero’s moment when City produced a breathtaking comeback against Queens Park Rangers in the dying seconds to beat their rivals to the title.
Although United regained the crown the following season in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year at Old Trafford, the victory in 2012 set in motion what City have become now; the powerhouse of English football.
Challenge Ahead
That is what is at stake for Arteta and his team. In the ultimate twist of irony, Arsenal were beaten by Sporting, also in the Round of 16. Having already lost out in the FA Cup, this leaves their fixture list clear, with only Premier League obligations to think about.
City may well be more focused on their bid to win the Champions League for the first time rather than on the Premier League, which gives the Gunners a golden chance to close out the title. The only element that can stop them is themselves, but they have shown resilience time and again this season, notably in their last victories over Manchester United and Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium.
Late April could decide their fate. Arsenal will face City on the road before hosting Chelsea, while a trip to Newcastle and a home match against Brighton will also be troublesome. There are no easy games in the Premier League, and as City proved in their game against 17th place QPR, even the seemingly easier opponents can make life difficult.
The good news for the Gunners is that their key men are relatively healthy. They have come through the Gabriel Jesus injury layoff. Eddie Nketiah’s fitness could be a concern down the stretch, but Arteta does have depth now with Jesus back in the fold. Arsenal’s other key men will be getting important rest between Premier League matches, which they can look to take advantage of compared to City, who will be playing twice a week until the end of the term.
The planets are aligning nicely for Arsenal, but there is still two months of hard work to close out the Premier League title.