Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has conceded that his team has lost all hope of clinching the Premier League title this season, following their 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Sunday.
Although it is not yet mathematically confirmed, the Arsenal players’ faces at the end of the game indicated that they knew the title race was over. The loss leaves Arsenal four points behind leaders Manchester City with just two games remaining. Even if Manchester City slip up in their remaining fixtures, it would be an unlikely scenario for Arsenal to stay in the hunt.
Arsenal had a fair chance of staying in the race for the title had they won the game against Brighton, but they capitulated as the Seagulls scored three second-half goals to enhance their bid for European football next season. The defeat was crushing for Arsenal, and their captain admitted that “there is no hope now.” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also expressed his disappointment at the performance, admitting that the second-half display was “unacceptable.”
The first half of the game saw Arsenal as the better side, but they could not capitalize on their dominance. Former Brighton forward Leandro Trossard hit the bar, and the Gunners failed to convert their chances. The second half was disastrous for Arsenal, as Julio Enciso gave the Seagulls the lead six minutes after the restart.
The Gunners got progressively worse as they realized their chances of staying in the title race were rapidly diminishing. Substitute Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan scored the second and third goals, respectively, to seal a convincing win for Brighton.
The loss to Brighton was a bitter pill to swallow for Arsenal fans who had hoped that their team would win their first Premier League title since 2004. The past few weeks have been difficult for Arsenal, and their poor run of form was a blow to their confidence. Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Everton earlier in the day had a psychological impact on the Arsenal players, according to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville. “It has been too much for them over the past few weeks. This moment was always going to come where Arsenal find it difficult, and they haven’t been able to get through it,” he said.
The month of April was a mixed bag for Arsenal, as they started the month with a 4-1 thrashing of Leeds that moved them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. However, the month ended with a defeat by the same scoreline at Manchester City, putting Guardiola’s side in the driving seat. April also saw Arsenal throw away two two-goal leads, to Liverpool and West Ham, as well as going 2-0 down at home to Southampton after just 14 minutes. Those dropped points ultimately proved pivotal, and former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira believes that the Gunners need more leaders in their side to help them through such difficult moments.
Looking ahead, Arsenal still has a lot to play for, with two games left of the current campaign. While they have come up short in the race for the Premier League title, they have made progress, sealing a return to the Champions League for the first time in six years.
Roy Keane, a former Manchester United midfielder, believes that Arsenal needs to recruit the right players with the right character to overcome the hurdles they stumbled at this season. The upcoming summer is a massive one for Arsenal, and they will be looking to recruit players who will make them more competitive and better equipped to challenge for the Premier League title next season.
