What was billed as a pivotal weekend in the Premier League title race may not be over yet – but it is already shaping up to be a painful one for Arsenal’s “very angry” manager Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners went into Saturday’s game against West Ham knowing that victory, coupled with a defeat for Liverpool at Manchester City on Sunday, would leave them within touching distance of the Premier League leaders with a game in hand.
It was a huge opportunity for Arteta’s team, but one they failed to grasp as they delivered a toothless performance against a West Ham side they beat 5-2 at London Stadium back in November, managing only two shots on target in an eventual 1-0 defeat.
Jarrod Bowen’s first-half strike proved the difference, while the Gunners’ hopes of a late reprieve were dealt a major blow by Myles Lewis-Skelly’s dismissal 17 minutes from time.
A Liverpool win at Etihad Stadium would lift Arne Slot’s team 11 points clear at the top of the table – a lead that is beginning to look unassailable, even with the game in hand Arsenal will have at the end of the weekend’s action.
When asked about his team’s title prospects, Arteta replied: “It’s not in our hands.
“I’m really, really annoyed with the things that are in our hands – which is the performance and the result.
“[We were] nowhere near the levels that we have to hit to have the opportunity to win a Premier league. I’m very much responsible for that, so I’m very, very angry.”
Arteta’s sentiments were echoed by skipper Martin Odegaard, who said the Gunners “lacked efficiency” in the final third against Graham Potter’s team.
“It’s a big blow,” he told BBC Sport. “The performance today wasn’t good enough. We have to see the game back and analyse it, but it wasn’t good enough.”
Speaking on Match of the Day, former England players Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy both said the title race was already over, with Liverpool’s lead at the top insurmountable.
“I don’t see Arsenal winning all of their games so Liverpool can have the odd hiccup,” added Murphy. “And when they play badly they still pick up points.”
‘We have to look in the mirror’
The defeat was Arsenal’s first in 16 Premier League games, but with Liverpool on a 22-match unbeaten run of their own, Saturday’s loss may have caused irreparable damage to the Gunners’ title hopes.
Using their projection algorithm, data analysts Opta now expect Liverpool to finish top on 86 points, eight clear of Arteta’s team.
Arsenal’s chances of winning the league have dropped from 15.13% to 8.14%, while Liverpool’s have risen from 84.79% to 91.76%.
No other side are given more than a 1% chance by Opta of ending up champions.
Mikel Merino, Arsenal’s match-winner against Leicester City last weekend, was handed a starting berth in attack alongside Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri, but the Spain international could not repeat his heroics at King Power Stadium against the Hammers’ well-organised backline.
Arsenal are currently without Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus because of injury, but Arteta insisted the Gunners’ personnel woes are not to blame for Saturday’s defeat.
“I refuse that completely,” he said. “I’m talking about the standards of the players and the team we played today, me included.
“We have to look in the mirror [for] what we can do better, and the will, the desire, the way we run and the way we want [to be champions].
“You have to deliver and it has to be with quality to break down a really good team. We have to play much better, and with more quality.”
Lewis-Skelly dismissal made fightback ‘even tougher’
Lewis-Skelly was sent off for the second time in the Premier League on Saturday, although his first dismissal – in a 1-0 victory at Wolves in January – ended up being overturned.
On Saturday, the 18-year-old was initially cautioned by referee Craig Pawson after dragging Mohammed Kudus to the floor near the halfway line, but the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled he had denied the Ghanaian a clear goalscoring opportunity and upgraded the yellow card to a red.
It means Arteta’s team have dropped 10 points in games in which they have had a player sent off this season. In August, they had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton after Declan Rice’s controversial red card early in the second half.
Leandro Trossard’s dismissal at Manchester City in September meant the Gunners had to play the entire second half with 10 men, ultimately conceding a 98th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw.
And in October, Bournemouth made the most of their numerical advantage after William Saliba had been given his marching orders on the half-hour mark.
Arteta felt Lewis-Skelly’s latest red card made things “even tougher” for his side as they sought to break West Ham’s stubborn resistance in the second half.
“We wanted to be more at it and looked more of a threat, then Myles gets sent off,” he told BBC Match of the Day.
“We have to be very disappointed. It’s a very painful loss.”
What are Arsenal’s remaining fixtures?
Arsenal’s recent form: DWWWL
Arsenal’s longest Premier League run without defeat under Arteta came to an end against the Hammers.
They will still have a game in hand on Liverpool after the Reds’ visit to Manchester City – against Chelsea on 16 March – while the Reds also have a Carabao Cup final against Newcastle to look forward to.
If the Gunners can reduce the gap on Liverpool in the coming weeks, getting a result at Anfield on 10 May would set them up for a home game against Newcastle and then an away trip to Southampton on the final day, by which point the Saints could be relegated.
Arsenal’s final 12 Premier League games:
26 February: Nottingham Forest (A)
9 March: Manchester United (A)
16 March: Chelsea (H)
1 April: Fulham (H)
5 April: Everton (A)
12 April: Brentford (H)
19 April: Ipswich (A)
26 April: Crystal Palace (H)
3 May: Bournemouth (H)
10 May: Liverpool (A)
18 May: Newcastle (H)
25 May: Southampton (A)
What are Liverpool’s remaining fixtures?
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Arne Slot’s Liverpool play just one league game in March – at home to bottom club Southampton
Liverpool’s recent form: WWDWD
What has been an incredibly busy period for Liverpool is set to become much easier in March, when they play just one league game – at home to Southampton.
Liverpool face the Magpies in the Carabao Cup final on 16 March, at which point both the Reds and Arsenal will have nine games left.
The Reds finish the season at home to Crystal Palace – but they will hope to have wrapped up the title by that point.
Liverpool’s final 12 Premier League games:
23 February: Manchester City (A)
26 February: Newcastle (H)
8 March: Southampton (H)
2 April: Everton (H)
5 April: Fulham (A)
12 April: West Ham (H)
19 April: Leicester (A)
26 April: Tottenham (H)
3 May: Chelsea (A)
10 May: Arsenal (H)
18 May: Brighton (A)
25 May: Crystal Palace (H)