Arsenal face personal battle for league supremacy

Another comfortable win amid a near full return to squad fitness, and it appears only Arsenal themselves could stop their Premier League title hopes.

The North London giants comfortably dispatched Crystal Palace 4-1 at the weekend after the Eagles sacked manager and former Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira last Friday.

It is their sixth win on the trot since they seemed to falter at the beginning of February when they took just one point from Everton, Brentford and Manchester City.

This leaves Mikel Arteta’s team eight points ahead of second placed City, who could win their game in hand to go within five.

But everything seems to be lining up for the Gunners, who after being knocked out of the Europa League and FA Cup, are playing in just one competition.

No self-respecting fan would argue that losing cup games are a positive, but it has certainly crystalised the last portion of this season for the club.

Arsenal have also since seen the return from injury of central midfielder Thomas Partey and striker Gabriel Jesus, both of whom were integral to early season success.

Couple this with key attacking players Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Ødegaard in scintillating form, and the obstacles facing Arsenal seem ever fewer going forward.

They face a mixed bag of opposition in their last 10 games, with five apiece from the top half and bottom half of the table.

The main rival to the squad is their recent history as eternal bridesmaids, last winning the league in their golden generation ‘Invincibles’ team of 2003/04.

A choke job in 2014/15, which saw Leicester win an unprecedented first title, also looms large in the memories of the fanbase.

They have made do with years of FA Cup dominance, but with a history as strong as the Gunners, there has been growing discontent since the mid-2010s.

And when so much of sport is mental, scar tissue can be a major factor in big matches – just ask any South African cricket fan.

Arsenal’s average squad age of 24.4 (the second lowest in the league behind Southampton) was initially thought to be a worrying factor in the crucial late season stretch.

But the young stars of the team instead look unphased by previous disappointment and are able to play with the free flowing efficiency that has made them so thrilling to watch this season.

In a league where momentum is so important, it is hard to imagine a better position for the leaders.

Perhaps its time to add some new faces to the murals hanging from the outer walls of the Emirates.

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