Are Arsenal Guaranteed – A Champions League Spot?
As we enter the final stages of the Premier League season it is clear that there is much to play for. Down at the bottom, there are still 4 or 5 teams who could be relegated, Liverpool and Man City have created a tight race for the title and 4th spot is still very much up for grabs. If you check out the sportsbook at somewhere like the Novibet online casino you’ll find that Arsenal is odds-on favorites to grab that last Champions League place, sitting round 4/9. With this being said, however, with 10 weeks left of the season, does this mean the Gunners are guaranteed that 4th spot? Let’s take a look.
Missing Chances
It was always going to be a stretch for West Ham to retain the 4th spot which they held on to for so much of the season, and as many expected they have started to fall away. What wasn’t expected however was the poor form of teams like Manchester United and Spurs, who have been incredibly inconsistent. At one stage Spurs had games in hand which would have taken them beyond Chelsea in 3rd; but poor Conte’s side has been in inconsistent form for weeks now, and 4th looks tough for them to achieve. Manchester United on the other hand does look like they have what it takes to run Arsenal close; but they will have to fix their leaky defense if they are going to do so.
Gunners on Fire
Mikel Arteta could very well be in line for the manager of the season given the way that he has galvanized his young side this season, and they are certainly in blistering form. The emergence of Odegaard has been key to his side’s success, and young guns like Saka, Martinelli; and Smith-Rowe have transformed the team’s energy and attitude to winning games. The Gunners made light work of Leicester on Sunday and will certainly have Liverpool fans worried ahead of their game this weekend.
How The Tide Could Change
The big issue that Arsenal could have is that they have a very thin squad; and could certainly struggle if they encounter one or two injuries to key players. They shipped out a number of players in January and failed to replace any of them; which could do them damage come to the end of the season. The Gunners also still have to play Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Spurs; which could make or break their season despite the games which they have in hand over their rivals.
Given that there is still so much football left to play; there is no way that the Gunners are dead certs to finish in 4th place. They are understandably favorites right now given their league position, Champions League and those games in hand; but as we have seen so often at this stage of the season, things can change in a heartbeat. Arsenal has to make sure that they keep the team fit; and that they have the mental strength to win those big games.
