Arsenal go into their clash with Aston Villa still seven points off the top of the Premier League table. And that is to be applauded, even if it looked like being just five points until two injury-time Darwin Nunez goals handed Liverpool all three points away at Brentford to hurt Arsenal ahead of kick-off..

Everyone connected with the Gunners would have been expecting to go close to the title once more this season, having finished five points and two points adrift of Manchester City in each of the last two seasons.

This time around it is Liverpool leading the way and the Reds have been as many as ten points clear at the top of the table this season. However, should Arsenal beat Aston Villa at home on Saturday night, the gap would be back to four points - albeit with Liverpool holding a game in hand on their rivals.

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A two-point deficit would be an extraordinary achievement for Arsenal when you consider the injury troubles they have had this season. Yes, a team of Arsenal's stature should have the strength in depth to deal with injury woes, but when you look at the players they have been missing at different stages, it is easy to see why they have struggled at times.

As early as gameweek four, Mikel Arteta had to do without captain Martin Odegaard - for seven matches. New signing Mikel Merino had also arrived at the club just prior to that and picked up an injury in training that meant he missed the first four opportunities to play too.

Riccardo Calafiori was another new signing in the summer and with his absence from the squad for the Villa clash he has now missed eight matches due to injury this season.

Ben White missed two games early on in the season and has been missing since gameweek 12. Bukayo Saka is a big miss currently, out of action since gameweek 18 and not likely to return until gameweek 28 at the earliest. Gabriel Jesus is now out for the rest of the season too.

And now William Saliba is missing for the visit of Aston Villa with a hamstring problem. Arsenal have got to hope and pray it is not a serious one as that would add to their woes this season.

Jesus may not be a guaranteed starter, but White, Odegaard, Saka and one of Calafiori or Timber are, meaning Arteta has had to do without four nailed-on starters for long periods of time - and in the case of Odegaard and Saka particularly, they are talismanic players.

Compare that to Liverpool's injury list this season. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker has missed eight games, with centre-back Ibrahima Konate missing six. Diogo Jota has missed six. There are odd games here and there for others, but it is not quite at the level of Arsenal's injury woes.

That is why the Arteta and the Gunners should be commended. And if they cut the gap back to four points with a victory over Villa, it should be considered a superb season so far.