Arsenal’s frustrating 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday put another dent in their hopes of winning the Premier League title this season.
Liverpool’s 2-0 victory at Brentford moved them six points clear of the Gunners with a game in hand, and strengthened their status as the bookmakers’ favourites to claim top spot.
However, fans inclined towards betting on the Premier League may still be tempted to back Arsenal at odds of 6/1 to overhaul Liverpool in the title race.
Punters can check the available betting sign up offers before wagering on the outcome and we think there are several reasons why the Gunners can still get the job done.
Liverpool have shown signs of vulnerability
Arsenal have come up short in the last two seasons due to Manchester City’s ability to string together mind-boggling winning streaks in the second half of the campaign.
While Liverpool are worthy table-toppers this time around, they are undoubtedly not as formidable as Pep Guardiola’s perennial title winners.
The Reds have shown signs of vulnerability in recent weeks, most notably when they were held to a 2-2 draw by underperforming Manchester United at Anfield.
They were also held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest and slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-finals.
Arne Slot’s side were given a run for their money by Brentford last weekend, before Darwin Nunez’s late brace helped them escape with a victory.
Arsenal must do whatever it takes to maintain pressure on Liverpool and hope that their efforts pay dividends when the season reaches the business end.
Injury list should ease over the next few weeks
The Gunners have had rotten luck with injuries this season, with several key players missing for a significant portion of the campaign.
The key absentees against Villa highlighted how stretched Arsenal’s resources are at the moment, but there is reportedly light at the end of the tunnel.
Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori are all edging closer to a return, which will strengthen their defensive options.
William Saliba also missed out against Villa, but his problem is ‘minor’ and he should be back in the line-up relatively quickly.
Ethan Nwaneri is expected to be back in action over the next few weeks, which would be a useful boost to an attacking unit currently low on numbers.
Bukayo Saka is ruled out until March, while Gabriel Jesus won’t play again this season, which leaves the squad thin on the ground for forward options.
Transfer window could boost Arsenal’s title hopes
While the winter transfer window is generally a difficult time to do meaningful business, Arsenal must find a way to add some new blood to the squad.
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko reportedly wants to join the Gunners, although he is reportedly keen to see out the season with the Bundesliga club.
Arsenal’s need for attacking reinforcements means they cannot afford to wait, so they may need to sweeten the deal to ensure they get their man.
Botafogo’s Igor Jesus is also on Arsenal’s radar and is arguably a more viable winter target, while Evan Ferguson could be an option on loan.
The Republic of Ireland striker has a point to prove and would be a useful acquisition if the Gunners can persuade Brighton & Hove Albion to agree a short-term deal.
Whichever road they head down, Arsenal simply cannot afford to allow the transfer window to pass without making at least one noteworthy signing.
The fixture list potentially favours Arsenal in the title race
The fixture list has not been overly kind to Arsenal during the first half of the season, but things could balance themselves out over the next few months.
Of the current top 12 teams in the Premier League, Arsenal have already played 10 of them away. By contrast, Liverpool have yet to visit six of the current top ten sides.
The Gunners still have to travel to Nottingham Forest, which will not be easy given they are in contention for Champions League qualification this season.
They are also scheduled to visit Liverpool on May 10 for a blockbuster fixture which could ultimately determine the outcome of the title race.
The Merseyside outfit will be the bookies’ favourites to win the game, but Arsenal are perfectly capable of upsetting the odds against their title rivals.
Although Liverpool hold all the aces at the moment, Arsenal’s remaining fixtures give them every chance of piecing together a long unbeaten run.
