Arsenal are in a real tough spot. The Premier League title chasers were dealt a crushing blow in their quest for glory on Wednesday as they were humbled by reigning champions Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
The heavy defeat had been coming after the Gunners had endured three consecutive draws in a row, two of which they had led by two goals. The gargantuan fixture at the Etihad was men against boys, champions against would-be champions and Arsenal’s youthful inexperience is showing.
City are now just two points behind the Gunners when only a few weeks ago the deficit was eight points, and Pep Guardiola’s team have two games in hand on the league leaders. The pendulum of the title race is swinging heavily in their favour.
Mikel Arteta is facing one of his biggest setbacks as Gunners boss and he needs help to rally his troops for the biggest fight of his reign. The faltering stars need desperately for this barren run to come to an end and fast. Perhaps just one win can get the cogs of this machine, that had been well-oiled for much of the season, to run smoothly again in the final, conclusive weeks of the campaign.
READ MORE:
-
Time For Man United To Plan For Life Without De Gea And Maguire
-
England's World Cup Hopes Hanging By A Thread After Leah Williamson Injury
-
All-Milan Champions League Semi Final Underscores Serie A Revival
Enter Chelsea, Arsenal’s next opponents, whom they shall be welcoming to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Gunners’ London rivals are in an even bigger slump than Arteta’s men.
The Blues have gone through two permanent managers in Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter and now Frank Lampard is back on an interim basis until the end of term. Chelsea are languishing in 11th in the Premier League in a season that fans will be quick to forget, as will Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly. His first year in charge couldn’t have gone much worse.
Chelsea have won just 10 matches in the league this term and are currently on a run of eight matches without a win in all competitions going back to early March. Lampard is still waiting for his first victory since getting back into the dugout but performances hint that three points are not forthcoming.
This is the exact game Arsenal need to get out of their own slump and revitalise their title charge. Playing Chelsea is the easiest game in the top flight right now. There is no organisation or fight from the struggling Blues and their performances are becoming more dire as each week passes. The supporters are crying out for this miserable season to come to an end so they can begin to prepare for life without European football next year.
Arteta and his squad will have a packed out Emirates behind them for this London derby and that will surely give them the extra boost they need to get back to winning ways and try and get the title race back in their control. It seems unlikely that City will slip up at this stage. The football they are playing right now is beyond the rest of the division given how their victory over Arsenal was so easy.
However, this is football, anything can happen. Even the great City that Guardiola has built over the years has been on the end of some huge shocks in the Premier League. There is till every chance that they might have a wobble before the final day in May and the Gunners need to rediscover their electric form from earlier in the season to be in a position to pounce at any given moment.
Chelsea at home provides the platform for this team of youthful title-chasers to test their spirit and strength and to push the reigning champions all the way, just as Liverpool did last year.
