Arsenal 'must react' after 'leaving door ajar' for Man City
- Published
Top of the league and in charge of the title race, only to fade away and be pipped at the post? Arsenal have been there before.
But nine points clear after 32 games played and still failing to win the league? No team in Premier League history has capitulated to that extent.
Could Mikel Arteta's side really be the first to throw it away from that position?
After back-to-back draws for nearest rivals Manchester City, along with a four-game winning streak for the Gunners, many were beginning to assume Arsenal's 22-year wait for the Premier League title was finally set to end.
Saturday's chastening 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth, however, has once again left the door ajar for Pep Guardiola's side - who have two games in hand on the Gunners.
Arteta described Arsenal's first league defeat since January as "a big punch to the face" and a "painful day".
"That's what I said to the boys and now it's about how we react," he added.
React they must. Their next league game is at Eithad Stadium next Sunday and it could go a long way to deciding the title.
Arsenal might be without a number of key players through injury though, but it does look like striker Viktor Gyokeres is finding form at the right time.
After his heroics for Sweden in their World Cup play-offs, he is full of confidence - 11 of his 18 goals for Arsenal in all competitions have come since the turn of the year.
He is also the club's top goalscorer, with his penalty against Bournemouth being his 12th of the Premier League season.
Momentum may be against them at the moment but, if they can regroup and start to put together a run of results, the Gunners can still be celebrating with a trophy at the end of May.
