Arsenal Vs Burnley: The Start Of The Moment Of Truth

Arsenal host Burnley on Sunday afternoon with Arsene Wenger hailing that the upcoming period is the moment of truth for the Gunners’ title challenge.

The Premier League title is up for grabs. Perhaps unlike any other year in history, as we enter the crunch time of the season, there are still six teams, Arsenal being one of them, that can lay claim to a genuine chance of hoisting the trophy come May.

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That is highly unusual. In fact, there is not a year in which the foundation for the latter half of the season has been so evenly balanced and, although Chelsea hold a seven-point lead over Tottenham, they are far from clear of the rest of the pack, with the Gunners, Liverpool and both Manchester clubs all withing five points of one another.

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It is the next few months that will determine the victor and Arsene Wenger is acutely aware of its importance. A time of year in which Arsenal traditionally struggle, Wenger has heralded the coming months as the ‘moment of truth’ starting with the visit of Burnley on Sunday:

"“With all the important games we have everyone is focused. It’s the moment of truth now, January to May, there are five months to go. That’s why I say that every game is important and that we’re just focused on the next one. Big games are only important if you do well in games where there is so-called less interest.”"

After two successive away losses in December to Everton and Manchester City sank the Gunners into a nine-point hole, Wenger has since seen his side steadily improve, unbeaten in all four league games, winning three of them. As such, with a trip to Stamford Bridge on the horizon, a tie that Arsenal will likely have to win if they harbour any hopes of catching their London rivals, Sunday’s match with Burnley offers them with yet another opportunity to build on a prosperous, recent run of form.

The momentum that the North London outfit has been able to build pertains that a run for the title is possible, perhaps even probable with a little luck with key injuries. Nonetheless, title-winning sides are rarely unsatisfied when against the lesser teams. Burnley away from home are most certainly a lesser team. They’ve recorded just one point all year.

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This is a must-win game for Wenger. The moment of truth for the title pretenders is here. Begin it with gumption and gusto and the charlatans may well graduate into champions.