Captain Martin Odegaard has admitted Arsenal’s title hopes are over for this season, with Manchester City now set to claim the Premier League trophy. The Gunners had been leading the way for much of the season, thrilling their supporters with bright, enterprising football. However, they stumbled at the worst time, allowing City to close the gap and ease towards the finish line.
So what made the difference over the last couple of months? Despite the allegations of bottling it, the real achievement this season was Arsenal matching and leading City’s galaxy of stars for as long as they did. Mikel Arteta’s men were not expected to fight for the title at the start of the season, having not even qualified for the Champions League. However, their results and the eye-pleasing way they achieved them saw expectations build, only for momentum to be lost and Arsenal unable to regain it.
At the same time, their title rivals really started hitting their stride. There seems little getting away from the fact that the depth of quality in City’s squad has been a massive factor. A single injury to a key man seemed a killer blow to Arsenal, contributing to a loss of form which proved terminal for their title hopes. The contrast is highlighted by City’s embarrassment of riches at centre-half with John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all having good seasons.
City also had the benefit of their spending power, being able to draft in players like Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden so Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne could put their feet up. Erling Haaland’s arrival was also a huge boost for Guardiola’s side, with his avalanche of goals making a difference. He is nine clear of nearest rival Harry Kane in the goalscoring charts, while Foden is the only other City player in double figures during their title run.
Arsenal may have cause to wonder if this season offered their best chance of winning the title, but they will use their newly elevated position and Champions League status to get some big names and help lift them to the next level. City may be dealing with FFP charges but are always on the lookout for star quality to bolster their squad while also having an eye for unheralded talent. It remains to be seen who will be added to Arsenal’s midfield, but it is safe to say they can ill afford to stand still if they want to finally go all the way next year.