The many hurdles facing Arsenal becoming Premier League champions

Arsenal currently sit one point below Manchester City in the Premier League table with the league champions having one game in hand over the Gunners. The north London club have become one of the best teams once again in European football and have played some exhilarating brand of football this season that shocked so many naysayers.

Like fans of  rabbit garden, Goners worldwide became accustomed to winnings that has even surpassed that of the 'Invincibles' back in 2004. However on Wednesday evening, Pep Guardiola’s side, Manchester City defeated Arsenal 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium to close the gap on the leaders who have floundered in recent games.

Many football websites were awash with stories and analysis of the poor run of matches by the team with the average youngest side in the division. It is a pragmatic way to achieve instant success too. Arsenal will be back in action early next week for what promises to be another big game. 

The Gunners have five games left to play this season against Chelsea, Newcastle United, Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Considering the outcomes of their last four matches in which they drew against Liverpool, West Ham United, Southampton and then lost to Manchester City, a pessimistic view that Mikel Arteta's side would probably not win their remaining five matches could be forgiven.

Football is unpredictable but Arsenal were in similar situation last season when they bottled up their Champions League chances by losing games that let north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur overtake them for the last top four spot. Chelsea who they face on Tuesday, May 2, were also losing same night as the Gunners, going down 2-0 to Brentford at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are hard pressed to bounce back from their own rot. That makes the clash at the Emirates stadium a must-win for Arsenal.

One interesting conversation at the pubs, streets and offices from New York to London, Seoul to Lagos and many parts of the world on this fixture and the performance of both sides in general this season has been about the more successful or less fortunate London club. Would Arsenal be deemed to be have done excellently if they lose the title to Manchester City after leading the log for so long a time or would Chelsea be considered to be the failed club finishing below teams that would play in European club football despite their huge spending?

Newcastle United are on the cusp of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League after the impressive win against Tottenham Hotspur and the 2-2 draw on Thursday against Manchester United. The Toons were held by Arteta's boys in the reverse fixture but they possess the best defence in the topflight at this stage of the season.

As for Brighton, they are a team that has improved in leaps and bounds and have quality players that will trouble their more illustrious opponents. Nottingham Forest may be fighting for their lives in a relegation dogfight but they are a team that play without fear. Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi is a good bet to score a goal or two. The European kings of 1980 in the old format of the Champions League also have some important players like Awoniyi's compatriot, Emmanuel Dennis and Morgan Gibbs-White who are both capable of producing the goals.

Wolves are Arsenal's last opponents of the season and their Portuguese contingent are world class stars. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard will be hard pressed to make the title a dream come true on May 28. 

Izuchukwu Michael