So as you can see, with a certain set of results – meaning bad for Arsenal and good for others – Arsenal could slip right out of the European places. That seems unlikely however whatever the result is in today’s game. Arsenal won’t lose all three, and the rest won’t win them all.
But looking at this table does bring home to me a couple of other points. First Arsenal still have the best defence in the league, and also have the fourth best attack in the league – and that despite the most catastrophic run of injuries that we have had for quite a few years. Just think what this team could do without such a bad injury run.
And maybe the game against Liverpool today isn’t a totally forgone conclusion. After all Arsenal in 1997-98 and Chelsea in 2005-06. both lost consecutive Premier League games after winning the title, so such matters have been known. Certainly, no player wants to risk an injury right at the end of the season when there is nothing to play for, but the usual load of meaningless internationals beckoning.
Plus Liverpool do on occasion lose consecutive games. They did it in 2023 losing to the not so mighty Bournemouth and then Manchester City. And they are so used to winning at home they could well forget the need to focus. They’ve not been beaten at their ground since 14 Septmeber. But there is the issue of Salah who is two goals away from the record number of Premier League goals – which was set by a certain Thierry Henry in 2002/3.
As for Arsenal the last time we lost four in a row was seven years ago – and there were special reasons for that, as it was in February and March 2018 when the media launched its massive anti-Wenger campaign which some in the crowd saw fit to support. That’s what you get when you do what the media tells you to do.
But we do have one extra weapon worthy of note. Saka has scored four times in his last five League games against Liverpool.
So for the teams…. The Standard offer us
Raya;
Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly;
Odegaard, Partey, Rice;
Saka, Merino, Martinelli