Arsenal can still win the title - or finish seventh
When Arsenal crumbled against Manchester United on Sunday, and with Chelsea set to play Hull, most pundits saw an eight point gap opening up between Chelsea and Arsenal - with United somewhere in the middle. As it is a stumbling draw for the west London team means that Arsenal can go to Stamford Bridge at the weekend knowing that a win would push the Gunners to within three points of the current league leaders.
Although by then United might well be top by a point as a home game against Portsmouth should be won even in this topsy-turvy season.
Arsenal had been on a wonderful run coming into January, but the cracks in form were evident in a 2-2 draw with Everton, the breakaway goal for Pienaar being a little too like Park's goal on Sunday for comfort. After that there were struggles to beat Bolton, moans about the 0-0 with Aston Villa and defeat to Stoke in the FA Cup. But bad runs (as well as good runs) come to an end.
Before drawing with Everton, Arsenal's results had brought them to the top of the table with five wins and a draw in six league games. If Arsenal can go on a similar run again the the title is there for the taking. Admittedly Arsenal are in the middle of a tough patch of fixtures - Villa and United played, Chelsea and Liverpool next - but if winning the title was easy then everyone would do it.
Chelsea's draw more or less negates the loss in points terms last Sunday, and makes next Sunday's game pivotal. A win at Stamford Bridge - or even a fighting draw - could spark Arsenal onto another four or five game winning spree. And given the way the top teams drop points that would probably leave Arsenal top of the table with a handful of games left.
The other scenario of another withering defeat causing a more serious downturn in form is not to be contemplated as Spurs, Liverpool, Villa and Man City are only 7-9 points distant and City and Villa also have games in hand. If Arsenal go winless in February they could well end the month out of the top four.
The Chelsea vs Arsenal game is now building up to the most important Arsenal game in the last five years. A team with fragile confidence could get the boost they need to see them on to winning the title - or a crushing defeat could send them tumbling out of the money seats. What a game is in prospect!
*What will Arsenal do against Chelsea and where will they finish the season? First, seventh - or somewhere in between? Let us know!
