Arsenal Begin their Closing Laps on the Title | OneFootball

Despite missing out on major silverware and exiting another cup competition, Arsenal’s quest for a first Premier League title in 22 years is almost at its conclusion.

The Gunners got back to winning ways in midweek after Kai Havertz’s 91st minute winner secured a 1-0 win against Sporting Lisbon in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been imperious this season as they look to go one better than the previous three seasons, where they have had to play second fiddle to first Manchester City, then Liverpool.

Injuries have plagued most teams this campaign but Arsenal have suffered more than any of their rivals and a particularly heavy brunt in recent weeks, with the likes of Mikel Merino and Martin Ødegaard having been all unavailable due to long term issues. One player fit to return from injury after a few matches out is Eberechi Eze, with Arteta amazed by the return to fitness from his $80 million man.

“He is available,” the 44-year-old said. “He is ahead of schedule. My first conversation with him after he felt a niggle, he wanted to be available the next week, we knew that that was impossible. But the recovery, the will that he’s shown from day one to get back as quickly as possible, how he’s pushed the medical staff and himself to be there tomorrow, it’s just great to watch.”

However, the north London side have powered through their issues, and lead Arteta’s coaching father Pep Guardiola’s City by nine points, with a potential title decider at the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks. 

But First… Bournemouth

The first of Arsenal’s final seven potential blockages come in the form of Bournemouth, who themselves are at the back of a big gaggle of teams fighting for European spots.

Last season was Andoni Iraola’s side’s first victory at the Emirates, having lost their previous eight away games against the Gunners in all competitions. That defeat all but confirmed Liverpool the rightful victors of the 2024-25 Premier League season, and Arteta’s side will be looking to right the wrongs of 12 months ago.

“We need to learn that lesson, certainly, and away from home as well, we conceded a set-piece goal the year before as well. So it’s an area where they are really strong, and we certainly have to improve to create the margin and the game context that we want. So we’re going to have to be really good at that.”

Arsenal could equal their joint-longest winning run in the Premier League this season with victory over Bournemouth (five games), having won five in a row between September-November and December-January. It would be the sixth run of five-plus wins by a side this term, and no other team recording more than one, with Aston Villa, Liverpool and Man City all on one.

Bournemouth on the other hand are on an 11-game unbeaten run (W4 D7), which is their joint-longest in the Premier League, along with a period between November 2024 and January 2025 (W7 D4). The Cherries have drawn their last five league matches and could become the first side in the competition to record six successive draws since Manchester City in November 2009 (seven).

But Iraola is wary of the threat their opponents possess despite their recent slump in form.

“There’s never a good moment to face them,” he said. “They are always very difficult to beat. They changed their team a bit for those cup games but recovered their starting XI for Sporting and took a massive win. I expect the best Arsenal.”

Victory over the South Coast side would put Arsenal 12 points clear at the summit, piling all the pressure on their rivals in the North.