Arsenal maintained their charge for the top four in a weekend where their top four rivals dropped yet more points. Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea have occupied the top three positions for majority of the season, but no one has been able to get a stranglehold on the final Champions League spot. For large parts, West Ham and Man United looked good value, then Spurs with Antonio Conte effect looked favourites. Wolves also made themselves an outside chance but have tailed off recently.
But finally, it looks like Arsenal have nailed the fourth spot, though the way things have gone, there is no surety. Both Man United and West Ham lost their respective games over the weekend. The Red Devils comprehensively lost the Manchester derby 4-1 on Sunday, after a horrible second half showing in which they failed to register a single shot. Things were much better for the Hammers, who narrowly lost 1-0 to the in-form Liverpool. Unlike their rivals, West Ham offered a sterner challenge and even had chances to equalise late in the match.
Those two results allowed Arsenal, who avoided any slip ups of their own, to take command of fourth place. Their 3-2 win over Watford was a lesson in clinical finishing from both sides. The Gunners are in fourth, a point above Man United and two above West Ham. More significantly, Arsenal have played three fewer games than their two closest rivals. In fact, Arsenal could close the gap to third placed Chelsea to just two points if they win their game in hand over the Blues.
Those two defeats are even more damaging for United and West Ham, because seventh placed Tottenham can overtake them if they win their games in hand.
Some turn around for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal
Arsenal fans were looking at another long and tumultuous season when they lost their opening three games by an aggregate score of 9-0. But the emergence of a youthful group of players has spearheaded their push for a top four place. Although their rivals’ faltering form has played a huge part, credit must be given to Mikel Arteta for steadying a sinking ship. He also managed the Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang situation quite well.
If they can maintain this momentum of four successive wins, top four could be in the bag. Who knows, maybe a top three spot is on the cards.