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For many weeks, Arsenal seemed destined to return to the UEFA Champions League, but their top-four hopes are crumbling spectacularly.
Having not played in Europe’s elite competition for five years, the Gunners have a great opportunity to return to the UEFA Champions League next season. However, a disappointing 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday means the character and focus of Mikel Arteta’s side have come into question.
The Gunners have crumbled many times when the stakes are high, and it's increasingly looking likely they are treading down the same route again.
Gunners suffer second successive defeat
A six-game unbeaten run between February and March propelled Arsenal into the Premier League top four. However, they have lost the intensity and desire that was evident in that run.
The Gunners’ 2-0 defeat to Liverpool was not entirely unexpected. However, they struggled against Aston Villa and have now lost back-to-back league games. If last week’s 3-0 thrashing against Crystal Palace was disappointing, Arsenal’s loss to Brighton was no different.
The goals they conceded against the Seagulls were easily avoidable. Leandro Tossard was left unmarked in the box before he opened the scoring, while Enock Mwepu had all the time to shoot without being closed down.
Until Martin Odegaard’s deflected shot that halved the deficit late on, the Gunners were largely passive and deserved to lose the game.
Can Arsenal revive their top-four hopes?
So far, the Gunners haven't made the most of their opportunities, especially when their top-four rivals have slipped up.
Saturday’s defeat to Brighton means Arsenal are now in danger of missing out on the UEFA Champions League. Fourth-placed Tottenham Hotpsur are now three points clear, but the Gunners have a game in hand.
"The first half was really poor again. The reaction that we wanted to show and everything we talked about, we didn't make it happen on the pitch,” Arteta admitted to Sky Sports.
He added:
"We were sloppy with the ball; we were second best in a lot of situations; we didn't show any purpose or build any momentum in the game. We didn't play with the right speed and transform the game Brighton proposed today and the first chance - the only chance they had - they scored a goal.”
The Gunners have a game in hand, which if they win, could revive their top-four hopes. However, they need to rediscover their mojo as the business end of the season beckons. They travel to Spurs and Chelsea and welcome Manchester United to the Emirates in their last eight games of the season.
