Arsenal Fan View: Arsene Wenger's top-four quest - taking a look at the run-in

Looking across Europe, it is hard to argue that the Premier League is the most hotly contested League competition with teams finding consistent ways of not being consistent every year.

Be it the number of teams involved in the fight for the Champions League or the annual relegation dogfight, no one drags out a competition better than the English sides. Apart from the last two years of title run-ins that is.

Despite most of us claiming it was “unforeseen” and the “impossible”, Leicester City’s crowning moment was visible to the bookies from Christmas onwards. Likewise, Chelsea’s imminent Championship victory is as on the cards as the now-set-in-motion Brexit.

The only difference between the two club’s moments will be the time by which everyone agrees that this is a fair possibility. While for the Foxes it started happening in close-April, Chelsea have been made Champions-elect since the end of last year.

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Of course the only thing that comes close as a ‘moment’ for Arsenal is their yearly departure from the Champions League and complete capitulation in their so called ‘title-challenge’. After that is when the real moment for the Gunners arrives, when the Top 4 challenge begins and the team from North London finally starts to play like a football team.

So, with their 9 games left in the League for the season, let’s take a look at what could be the realistic total Arsenal are looking towards and whether it will be enough for them to sneak into the UCL spots again:

Crystal Palace (A)

Fresh from beating the League leaders Chelsea, Palace will be fired up for this derby game and in front of their own crowd, could very well trouble Arsenal. They will want and need the 3 points given their relegation battles but the Gunners uprising will be gathering pace to see off a draw at worst.

Middlesbrough (A)

By the time Arsenal arrive at the Riverside, the home team could be stuck in a bad spot of following the most probably relegated Sunderland. Alvaro Negredo and co will attack Arsenal for they’ve got and this could play into the hands of the Gunners and hand them much needed 3 points.

Leicester City (H)

Ah, the replay of when Gunners around the world thought the League was won over the eventual champions last year. Danny Welbeck will be looking to score a little before 90+4 minutes this time and with Vardy getting back to his best, this could well be a goal fest. Arsenal to shade it due to the pure luck they gather when they start playing for the fourth spot.

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Tottenham (A)

Believe it or not, Arsène Wenger will probably be the guy handing Chelsea over the title this season. By the time this game comes along, the Arsenal uprising for UCL spots will have happened and all the flow will be in the sails of the Arsenal players suddenly playing for the manager. However, this will not stop Spurs from scoring first and keeping the lead till the closing stages. That will be when this age old rivalry will take new heights when a late penalty will give the Gunners a point and the Blue Fabregas on the other side of London will thank his former employees for sealing his second PL medal.

Southampton (A)

With the title race wrapped up and the relegation battle already having swallowed two out of three contestants, this will be the game where Arsenal just about sneak a victory to remind everyone they’re on the up and not scared of facing a top 4 showdown the following week.

Manchester United (H)

I would sincerely hope this to be anything but a draw for the sake of the United fans and the manager. With Liverpool all but out of the running by now due to Mane and more injuries, and City hot on the tails of both their neighbors and Arsenal, this will be the big 6 point swinger deciding who gets the last two spots after Chelsea and Spurs, unless they capitulate all over again. This one could swing either way, but Jose likes ruining Wenger’s party much so maybe one last loss of the season for Arsenal.

Stoke City (A)

3 games left, 65 points and then you go to Stoke City. Sounds like an Ed Sheeran song if you get the right beats in your head. However, Arsenal to go all UCL crazy and blow Stoke away, who are safe and now have nothing much to play for.

Sunderland (H)

Finally gone and not much left to do in the League, the Black Cats will play for pride and give Arsenal a run for their money. Goals everywhere but the Gunners to come on top and send the Cats packing to the Championship.

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Everton (H)

The season closer at the Emirates and with a (probable) FA Cup final in the near, Wenger will want to get everything right and prevent Lukaku from adding to his Golden boot numbers by keeping a clean sheet and getting all three points. With the momentum at hand and Top 4 finally within reach, Arsenal to get the job done-albeit dramatically.

So that brings up the Gunners getting 20 out of 27 points, with a grand total 74 points. Over the years, that has been just about enough to see any side through to the play-off for the Champions League and in typical Arsenal fashion, the Gunners to just flatter to deceive and jump over the finish line.