A FRIGHT XMAS FOR GUNNERS
A club that has not been relegated from English football’s top division since 1913 then face fellow strugglers Brighton and West Brom in the week after Chelsea.
No wonder manager Mikel Arteta is running out of time to turn things around.
As he said in the aftermath of their 4-1 home defeat by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday: “This is a crucial moment for us in the season and we have to do it this week.”
It might be 107 years since they last slipped into the second tier of English football, and their record against West Brom will give cause for optimism, but they have lost more times against Brighton than they have won in the Premier League.
The Gunners board are determined to stand behind
Arteta but all bets could be off if these next three games don’t go well.
Arteta’s flops, sitting 15th in the table, will be even closer to the bottom three on points if Fulham beat Southampton in their earlier start on Saturday. And Frank Lampard vowed to show Arsenal no mercy.
Who could have believed this would be the outcome just a few months ago when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the FA Cup final as Arteta’s side beat Lampard’s Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley.
But Lampard will not want Chelsea to be the spark that ignites a turnaround at the Emirates. The Blues boss, a veteran of many a London derby as a
player, said: “The players have to play with controlled passion. That is what a derby brings. Form does go out the window.
“Sometimes the idea of playing a derby is the spur the team needs to try to get a result, so we have to expect the best Arsenal.
“They are a really good footballing team, with really good players, well-coached, rotations in their team, lots of threats in attacking areas.”
But Arteta is under no illusions. His side have taken just five points from their last 10 games and rolled over meekly against City.
He did though receive a lift yesterday when Gabriel Martinelli, their best player against City until he came off injured (below), declared himself fit for Chelsea.
The 19- year- old Brazil forward eased fears over an ankle injury, saying he was “feeling fine and ready to go”.
The Gunners are weighing up a loan move for Real Madrid misfit Vinicius Jr next month as they bid to back their under-fire boss.
There was backing too from former team-mate Petr Cech, now Chelsea’s technical and performance adviser.
“It’s hard for any manager when the results aren’t going your way and you’re trying to change the team and the philosophy at the club. It needs time,” said Cech.
“But you need results as well. So much is about confidence. The moment you hit the wall, that’s when you really need everyone to pull in the same direction.”