Arsenal are nonetheless very a lot within the hunt for the Premier League title, regardless of Liverpool opening up a sizeable hole on the prime, with the Anfield aspect additionally having a recreation in hand.
It’s no secret that the Gunners have not been at their fluent finest this time period. Certainly, throughout 22 top-flight video games, they’ve received simply 12.
Nevertheless, there’s a lengthy approach to go, as nothing is received in January. Mikel Arteta must regroup his squad and get them fired up for the following few months. If the north Londoners can play to their potential, the title race may get thrilling.
As such, we’ve got taken a deeper look into varied explanation why the Arsenal trustworthy ought to nonetheless be feeling optimistic heading into the conclusive levels of the 2024/25 Premier League marketing campaign.
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1
Liverpool are due a blip in kind
Arne Slot has taken to life at Liverpool with ease. Not solely are the Reds prime of the league, however they’re additionally within the semi-finals of the League Cup and the fourth spherical of the FA Cup, whereas additionally main the best way within the Champions League’s league section.
All in all, the Merseyside outfit have misplaced simply two video games and Slot has an exquisite likelihood of lifting a number of trophies throughout his maiden marketing campaign in cost.
Nevertheless, such good kind comes with its downfalls. Liverpool are due a blip amid a relentless run. The query is, when will it happen?
Arteta will hope this arrives sooner somewhat than later, particularly with video games operating out. When it does, Arsenal should be able to take benefit and claw again the hole on the prime of the desk.
2
Gunners are on the hunt for signings
For the reason that begin of the 2020/21 season, Arsenal have made just four January signings, with three of them coming in January 2023.
If Arteta needs to finish the membership’s 21-year league title drought, bringing in a brand new signing or two might be a significant enhance to their trigger.
With Gabriel Jesus ruled out for the rest of the season after struggling an harm to his anterior cruciate ligament in opposition to Manchester United lately, this leaves Kai Havertz as the one centre-forward choice for Arteta (albeit a considerably makeshift one), indicating the crucial nature of signing a brand new striker.
Benjamin Sesko is one participant who has been linked with a move to London in current weeks, whereas Brighton & Hove Albion ahead Evan Ferguson and Igor Jesus, at present of Botafogo, are also options that Arteta is considered contemplating.
Havertz has scored 14 goals in 30 games throughout all competitions this season thus far – hardly prolific by any stretch of the creativeness. With Bukayo Saka additionally out injured for the foreseeable future, one other centre-forward would be the primary precedence earlier than the switch window slams shut in a few weeks.
A lot will rely upon Arteta’s finances, too. He may must promote a participant or two to fund a brand new arrival, particularly one that may spearhead the Gunners to the title.
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3
Arsenal might go on a loopy run of kind
Arsenal favor to be chasers in the case of making an attempt to win the Premier League title. Throughout the 2022/23 marketing campaign, the membership were seven points clear of Manchester Metropolis after 16 video games.
The membership received 41 factors within the subsequent 22 matches, however Metropolis claimed 53 to steal the league crown away from the north Londoners’ grasp.
Nevertheless, you solely must look again to thirty first December, 2023 for some hope which might counsel a title revival is but in sight.
Arsenal sat fourth and regarded like they’d bottled one more title chase. The next 18 games noticed them win 16, draw one and lose one to narrowly miss out on the league crown by simply two factors as Metropolis claimed a fourth title in a row.
This means that doing the chasing is one thing Arteta and Arsenal favor, somewhat than being the membership that everybody is aiming for on the prime of the desk.
Occurring an analogous run to final time period over their last 16 video games will surely pile loads of strain on Liverpool. Would Slot’s workforce be capable of stand as much as that, or might the Gunners but repeat historical past and overtake them?
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4
Profitable the Carabao Cup could be a catalyst
A solitary FA Cup triumph is all that may be proven for Arteta’s five-year reign in north London – and even that was achieved inside his first 12 months on the membership.
Whereas the primary couple of years had been very a lot about constructing a workforce which might problem the Liverpool/Man Metropolis duopoly, he has reworked a squad that’s now absolutely able to successful trophies.
Reaching the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup this season was actually anticipated given the power of the squad, however might successful the cup be a catalyst for extra success?
Arteta’s aspect should do issues the laborious approach after the Gunners misplaced the primary leg of their semi-final in opposition to Newcastle United, failing to get the higher of Eddie Howe’s aspect in a 2-0 residence defeat.
The return leg takes place at St James Park – a floor the place the North Londoners have won just twice under Arteta in 5 makes an attempt.
Overturning the deficit to make the ultimate will give the membership a significant enhance, whereas successful the trophy for the primary time since 1993 may simply spur them on to assert one other Premier League crown.
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5
Liverpool might go additional within the cups
As talked about beforehand, the Anfield aspect are nonetheless in with an opportunity of successful all 4 competitions they’ve entered this season.
The additional the membership progresses in every competitors will place extra pressure on the squad, which might trigger fixture congestion in the course of the last few weeks of the season.
This might play proper into Arsenal’s palms, particularly if the Reds begin shedding just a few matches and endure a dip in kind because the ending line approaches.
Slot has some spectacular squad depth at his disposal, however extra video games may also imply the membership have a better likelihood of affected by extra accidents, doubtlessly shedding key gamers simply as Arsenal have this time period.
6
Bukayo Saka’s return
Bukayo Saka scored 9 goals and grabbed 13 assists for the Gunners throughout 24 matches in all competitions earlier than being struck down with a hamstring harm in December.
Following the harm, Arteta addressed the situation, delivering some dangerous information which got here on the worst potential time, saying: “He had a process. The whole lot went nicely. However sadly, he shall be out for a lot of, many weeks. I feel it will likely be greater than two months. I do not know precisely how for much longer.”
If every little thing goes to plan, Saka might be again taking part in for the primary workforce by the beginning of March, giving the membership a significant enhance heading into the ultimate months of the marketing campaign.
If he can decide up the place he left off on the finish of the calendar 12 months, he might add some much-needed high quality within the last third, thus bolstering Arsenal’s title problem within the course of.
Nevertheless, Arteta’s males might want to preserve tempo with Liverpool till Saka recovers, which is actually simpler stated than performed contemplating their current kind.
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7
Extra first-team gamers are set to return
Whereas getting Saka again to full health is the rapid precedence for the membership, there are just a few different first-team stars who’re set for a return within the subsequent few weeks.
Ben White has missed the previous 10 Premier League matches as a consequence of a knee harm, along with his final look coming in opposition to Chelsea firstly of November.
The defender might be set to return firstly of February, which is able to give the supervisor a lift heading into the enterprise finish of the marketing campaign, so White could develop into a secret weapon of kinds.
Elsewhere, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori have endured setbacks in the course of the season, however they is also again in competition by the beginning of February, giving Arteta extra defensive choices.
8
Arsenal have a neater run-in
Within the membership’s remaining eight away video games within the prime flight, Arsenal face six teams who currently occupy places within the backside seven of the league desk (on the time of writing).
They face Liverpool at Anfield in Could, which is actually being billed as a possible title decider, particularly if Arsenal can stay inside their sights.
The Reds, alternatively, must face seven of the present prime 10. Throughout their last 5 matches, not solely do they face Arsenal, however a conflict with Tottenham Hotspur and journeys to Chelsea and Brighton may also must be negotiated.
Slot shall be hoping the title is received by the point the Gunners tie rolls round, but when Arteta can spur his workforce on over the following few months, mixed with a dip in Liverpool’s kind, there’s each likelihood the title race will nonetheless be open come Could.
