Arsenal’s inability to secure a top-tier striker could have significantly impacted their aspirations for the Premier League title this season.
Frequent dismissals have also hindered their progress.
In a surprising turn of events, Arsenal fell 1-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday, which put a serious dent in their championship pursuit, especially as Liverpool appeared to be losing their momentum.
Currently in second place, Arsenal now trails Liverpool by eight points, with both teams having played an equal number of matches. The gap could potentially widen when Liverpool faces Manchester City away on Sunday.
A header from Jarrod Bowen in the 44th minute sealed the victory for West Ham, who arrived at the Emirates Stadium with just one win in their previous eight outings.
Things took a turn for the worse for Arsenal when left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly received a red card in the 73rd minute after a video review determined he fouled Mohammed Kudus as he was the last man.
This marked Arsenal’s fifth red card of the season, which is two more than any other team in the league, and calls for scrutiny on their disciplinary record under manager Mikel Arteta, especially as it has cost the team crucial points.
A glaring concern among fans is the club’s choice to forgo signing a proven center-forward during last summer’s transfer window or the winter window.
With key forwards like Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus sidelined due to injuries, Arsenal managed only two shots on target against West Ham.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Arsenal’s manager Arteta remarked, “I am very disappointed, and obviously very angry as well. Even though we had 20 shots, I never felt that we were at the standard and the level that we needed.
We have to be (angry), and I hope we are because we didn’t hit the levels today, and I am very much responsible for that so I am very, very angry.”
In another match, Manchester United made a remarkable comeback against Everton, overcoming a two-goal deficit to finish with a 2-2 draw thanks to a last-minute video review decision.
Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte scored the equalizer in the 80th minute, marking his first club goal in nearly four years. This followed an earlier strike by Bruno Fernandes, who ignited United’s comeback with a free kick.
Initially, United seemed set to suffer a third consecutive defeat, which would have marked their ninth loss in 15 league matches since Ruben Amorim took over in November.
Everton initially led thanks to goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
In stoppage time, a penalty was awarded to Everton for what was perceived to be a foul by Harry Maguire on Ashley Young. However, after consulting the pitchside monitor due to the video review, referee Andrew Madley reversed his initial decision.
Amorim commented on the match, saying United “just played one half and we managed to draw the game. We didn’t exist in the first half.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea faced disappointment after a critical late blunder from goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen allowed Aston Villa to claim a 2-1 victory, intensifying the competition for Champions League spots.
Jörgensen, who was substituted in following several costly errors by first-choice goalie Robert Sanchez, failed to secure a shot from Marco Asensio, which crossed the line in the 89th minute.
Asensio’s goal was his second of the match, having previously equalized in the 57th minute with assistance from Marcus Rashford.
Enzo Fernandez had put Chelsea ahead in the ninth minute.
With this win, Villa moved into seventh place, just one point behind Chelsea, as England prepares for nearly five qualification spots for the upcoming Champions League.
Fifth-place Bournemouth, who share points with Chelsea, lost 1-0 at home to Wolverhampton, complicating their Champions League ambitions.
Bournemouth defender Illya Zabarnyi was sent off in the 31st minute, shortly before Matheus Cunha scored the decisive goal for Wolves.
Tottenham secured a 4-1 victory against Ipswich, marking their third consecutive league win, alleviating pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou. In contrast, last-place Southampton suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Brighton, while Crystal Palace triumphed 2-0 over Fulham.
