Arsenal face task that even evaded Invincibles to meet Ian Wright demand and win league
Arsenal face a challenge that even the Invincibles could not overcome if they are to meet Ian Wright’s demand of winning all their remaining matches on their way to potentially landing this season’s Premier League title. The Gunners are currently five points clear of Manchester City at the top-flight summit after winning 20 of their 26 matches.
Arsenal have been in scintillating form this season and restored their healthy lead over the Citizens after overcoming Bournemouth 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s team were forced to come from two goals down after Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi had netted for the visitors. But after Thomas Partey and Ben White had added their names to the scoresheet, Reiss Nelson struck a 97th-minute winner to keep the Gunners’ title aspirations well and truly alive.
Man City had closed the gap at the top of the Premier League table to two points at lunchtime on Saturday after seeing off Newcastle 2-0. And with City enjoying a strong run of form, ex-Arsenal striker Wright has suggested his former side will need to win every game between now and the end of the campaign if they are to taste Premier League glory for the first time in 19 years.
“Finding a way to win, Arsenal have done that a few times this season and what they are learning on a weekly basis is that this is what is going to have to happen [to win the title],” Wright told The Kelly & Wrighty Show.
“If I’m playing in Arsenal’s dressing room right now, I’m not expecting City to lose any more games. You know that you’re going to have to go out there and if it goes to the last second, that’s what you’ve got to do. You don’t want to look yourself in the mirror and say you could have tried harder in this game or that game. You get some luck. You get some bad luck. But you’re not stopping, you are fighting until the end.”
If Arsenal are to win their 12 remaining matches, they would have to defeat Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle away from home. And never in the Premier League era have the Gunners beaten those three teams away during the same campaign.
During the 2003/04 season, Arsenal’s Invincibles team became the only side in Premier League history to go a whole campaign without losing a single game. But even that team only managed to secure away wins at City and Liverpool before being held to a 0-0 draw by Newcastle at St James’ Park.
So Wright’s demands will be tough to meet. But if the Gunners manage it, they will win the Premier League at a canter – and how their former striker would love to witness it.
