The troops under coach Mikel Arteta have reasons to believe in a good outcome in the London derby against Tottenham in matchday 35 of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.
At 8:00 PM today, April 28th, according to Vietnam time, Arsenal will visit Tottenham’s stadium in the London derby in matchday 35 of the Premier League. For Mikel Arteta’s squad, every clash at this moment resembles a final, where The Gunners cannot afford to slip if they want to keep their dream of winning the championship alive. Below are three reasons to trust that the Gunners will triumph in the upcoming battle.
1. Exceptional Form
After the setback against Bayern Munich in the Champions League or the defeat to Aston Villa in matchday 33 seemed to signal a ‘downturn’ for Arsenal, but no, they have come back strongly with two consecutive victories. Though considered ‘young lambs’ in the Champions League, on the domestic front, Mikel Arteta’s troops are indeed ‘true tigers’. The Gunners from London smoothly overcame Wolverhampton 2-0 in matchday 34 before crushing Chelsea with an unbeatable 5-0 scoreline midweek.
Even more intimidatingly, Arsenal has kept a clean sheet in their last 6 away matches in the Premier League, a feat achieved by only 2 teams in 7 matches (Chelsea from September to December 2008 and Manchester United from November to February in the 2008/09 season). In the hands of the Spanish coach, they possess a squad full of hunger, highlighted by the outstanding form of Kai Havertz. They have also suffered no setbacks prior to the showdown with Tottenham except for Jurrien Timber. It can be said that The Gunners are ready to bring down the Spurs.
2. Tottenham Lacks Stability
In contrast to Tottenham’s good form, Ange Postecoglou’s squad has been playing inconsistently recently. Most recently, they suffered a humiliating 0-4 defeat away to Newcastle – a dismal loss for the Spurs. In their last 5 matches, Son Heung-min’s team has only managed 2 wins, suffered 2 losses, and drew 1.
Tottenham suffered a humiliating 0-4 defeat against Newcastle in their most recent match.
Clearly, the instability has made Tottenham’s ambitions for a top 4 finish increasingly distant, as they now trail Aston Villa by 7 points with 2 matches remaining. Therefore, facing an in-form Arsenal poses a significant challenge for Ange Postecoglou’s squad. However, the Spurs will also fight with everything they have as the hope of qualifying for the Champions League still remains.
3. The Lesson from Liverpool
Just a few rounds ago, the Premier League title race was still a three-horse race between Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man City. However, at the current moment, the Reds seem to have let go with consecutive dismal results. When it mattered most, The Kop lacked resilience, couldn’t maintain the necessary focus, and paid the price.
The decline of Liverpool is seen as a lesson for Arsenal to avoid falling into the same trap as their rivals. Observing Manchester City’s exceptional form, The Gunners understand that just one more slip-up could mean bidding farewell to their long-awaited title dreams (currently, Arsenal also lack control over their destiny). Therefore, every match from now until the end of the season is a final for the team at the Emirates Stadium.