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 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.”
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.”