It had been a phenomenal 2025/26 Premier League campaign for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the fans, as for the vast majority of the season the Gunners had dominated top spot in the table and looked like we had put our runners up demons behind us and finally lift that all important, and much vaunted, trophy.
Most fans, I think, knew that it would not be quite that easy as we were due a seasonal wobble in form and much like you are guaranteed to win, or lose, at sites like Spincasino.com, it was also pretty obvious that following the turn of New Year there had been a noticeable switch to avoiding defeat. We had become a side focused on eeking out narrow wins, as opposed to comfortable ones where the players showed confidence, enjoyment and freedom.
Given Manchester City and Pep Guardiola’s history, we also knew they would rally before the season came to a close.
Somewhat predictably with form and performance levels the dip and wobble hit in spectacular fashion, and no amount of Tik Tok messages from the gaffer or late night BBQ’s under the moonlight could stop it.
The turn began as we closed out the month of March with a League Cup Final defeat to City at Wembley, and for those who worried that we would now bottom out as the pressure hit us – particularly with a loss to them – they were not far wrong.
The month of April was woeful and ignoring a very narrow aggregate victory over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter finals we opened with a defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup, with league defeats to Bournemouth and City again. Our points advantage in the League was gone and we were arguably trailing because of their game in hand and a potential quadruple had quickly shrank to possible Champions League hopes only.
Everyone knew we had hit sink or swim time, and whilst the talk and media circus of blowing it again could not have been more magnified as we went into the clash with Newcastle United as we closed the month out, the pressure of actually blowing it again was over. Our advantage was gone, the momentum had come to an end, we had already blown everything we had feared we would blow – all that was now left was the run in and seeing the campaign out and the only question left on the page was ‘who would lose next?’ given every man, woman and their dog saw straight wins for both sides in the matches that remained.
After those back to back defeats we got back on the horse in Saturday’s clash, and although it was a hard fought, and narrow win, with two concerning injuries for Kai Havertz and Ebere Eze, Eze’s ninth minute goal proved to be enough to take all three points with another clean sheet being added to our tally, and we are back on track to take it to the death.
The pressure of winning the remaining games stays the same, and it now pivots back to City who have to do it all again as by the time Pep Guardiola’s side next play, whilst they will have two games in hand, we could again be six points clear.
Declan Rice declared ‘it’s not done’ and he was not wrong. So now we get back to doing what we have done all season long when needed – dig deep and when required, and win ugly.
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