Arsenal let go of an opportunity to beat Liverpool in a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium recently. The match ended in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool equalizing twice. Mohamed Salah’s goal with around 15 minutes to spare earned three points for the Reds. The Gunners then lost 1-0 to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park to further jeopardize their position.
Arsenal failed to earn three points against either of its two big rivals. The Gunners had earlier drawn with Manchester City after John Stones’ late equalizer earned a vital point for the Cityzens. Thus, the Gunners have earned a total of two points out of a possible six against Manchester City and Liverpool.
Arsenal Already Lagging Behind in Title Race
Mikel Arteta’s men have 18 points from 10 matches, while Manchester City and Liverpool have 23 and 25, respectively. The Cityzens, who are famous for their late surge in the second half of the season, thus have opened up a five-point lead over the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s men have been overtaken by Pep Guardiola’s team in the past despite leading in the first half of the season in the past. Hence, an early lead should work in Manchester City’s favour as far as the race for the Premier League title is concerned.
Arsenal’s Depleted Defence a Reason for Concern
In the absence of William Saliba, who saw a red card against Bournemouth, the Gunners’ defence failed to contain Salah and Darwin Núñez’s runs for the equalizer at Emirates. Both Jurriën Timber and Gabriel sustained injuries in the match and had to be replaced. Ben White was the only member of the Gunners’ back-four, who was still on the pitch when the final whistle was blown. Riccardo Calafiori has also suffered an injury, which made him unavailable against Liverpool.
Arsenal’s defence has been their strength during the recent times. Hence, the absence of their regular defenders has made things difficult for them during key moments against their rivals. Martin Ødegaard’s prolonged absence owing to an injury has only aggravated things for the Gunners.
However, such injuries are not uncommon during the course of a marathon season. Manchester City is coping with the injuries to Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, its two most players, itself. The squad-depth of a team becomes very important in this regard, without which it is practically impossible to win a league title.
Next Two Matches Vital for Gunners
Arsenal will face Inter Milan and Chelsea in its next two matches across all competitions. Those twp oppositions can potentially be tough for any team in the world. The problem for the Gunners is that they cannot afford any further slip-ups in the Premier League.
Losing points against Chelsea would mostl ikelytake them further away from Manchester City and Liverpool. Arsenal will have to ensure that the gap is not big enough to throw it out of the title race quite early in the season. Saliba’s return will boost them certainly, but the Gunners will have to aim for earning three points from their next Premier League match against the Blues. It remains to be seen if they are able to that.