Arsenal’s quest for the Premier League title found itself in great peril after they surrendered a two-goal lead to settle for a 2-2 draw against West Ham United on Sunday. While Arsenal remains four points clear at the top of the league, Manchester City’s game in hand and current form puts them in the driving seat to retain the title.
Arsenal’s Early Lead Wasted
Arsenal came out of the gates well at home to West Ham, taking a quick 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard within 10 minutes. However, their hold on the match was subsequently loosened when Thomas Partey gave up possession of the ball, allowing West Ham to score their first goal through Said Benrahma right before half-time. Worse still, Gabriel conceded a penalty after fouling Lucas Paqueta, which Benrahma ruthlessly converted to tie the game at 2-2 early in the second half.
Arsenal’s Late Missed Penalty Proves Costly
Despite some late changes by manager Mikel Arteta, Arsenal couldn’t find that crucial goal needed to win the match. Their best chance came from a Bukayo Saka penalty in the 78th minute after Michail Antonio handled the ball in his own box. Regrettably, Saka missed his spot-kick, effectively snuffing out Arsenal’s hopes of securing all three points from the match. West Ham went on to have a golden opportunity of snatching victory themselves with one of Antonio’s headed efforts hitting the crossbar in added time.
Arsenal’s Loss of Form Worrisome
Arsenal has now dropped points from their last three Premier League matches with Manchester City ramping up their charge towards another title. The Gunners had also given up a two-goal lead in their previous league match against Liverpool at Anfield, drawing 3-3 after initially being 2-0 up.
Arsenal’s Defense Wobbles
While Arsenal’s offensive capabilities are still intact, the same cannot be said of their defense. They’ve conceded twenty goals in nineteen matches so far this year while also showing vulnerability in their last two matches. With injuries to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, Arteta will likely have to run back the same defense that was on the field last week. This could put them at further risk should they fail to get things under control.
Manchester City’s Game in Hand Gives Them the Edge
The draw leaves Arsenal four points ahead of Manchester City, although the reigning champions have a game in hand which can potentially see them leapfrog the Gunners into pole position. Should they win that game and grab all three points from the upcoming fixture against Arsenal on April 26th, it will be tough for Arsenal to envisage a pathway back into pole position.
Conclusion
Arsenal has no time to feel sorry for themselves as they strive to regain top spot and fend off the challenge from City. The attacking duo of Jesus and Odegaard has been electric for Arsenal, but they must address their defensive issues if they’re serious about lifting the title. The race for the Premier League trophy is far from over, but Arsenal needs to maintain their consistency if they’re to stand any chance of ending their long title drought this season.
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