Arsenal vs Sunderland crucial in opening up more ways forward

Arsenal’s chances at a Champions League spot are dwindling, but with a hearty demolishing of Sunderland, they may open up more options.

Liverpool’s destruction of West Ham away from home put a serious dent in the hopes of Arsenal. The Champions League feels like a long way off now, and barring some serious collapsing from Liverpool at home against Middlesbrough (which is possible), the Gunners hopes are kaput.

But don’t count out the possibility of Manchester City being the team to give way. While they sit a full three points up on the North Londoners with just two games yet to play, the big determining factor is goal differential. The Citizens have a huge five goal cushion on the Gunners, meaning that barring something crazy from Arsenal, they won’t be able to eclipse the Sky Blues on goal differential alone.

And that’s why these last two matches at the Emirates, particularly against Sunderland, are crucial in opening up a new way forward into the top four. Relying on Liverpool alone is flimsy as can be, but with Manchester City facing a stiff and petulant West Brom (even at the Etihad) and Arsenal facing a long-ago relegated Sunderland at the Emirates, the chance to make up the goal differential is there.

Tony Pulis and his baggies have nothing to play for, but he is a stickler of a manager and won’t be rolling over to let his pride and joy (that defense) get pierced left and right. A small win for City, a 1-0 or so, wouldn’t be that unlikely.

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Meanwhile, the Gunners will be playing Sunderland with the need to make up five goals. Meaning that if they can stick a four or five nothing win over the Black Cats, then suddenly that deficit is down to one or two, which is far more achievable.

The last matches the two sides face is, for the Gunners, Everton (with nothing to play for as well) at the Emirates, while City will leave the comforts of the Etihad to venture to Watford. Surely between Watford and West Brom, Guardiola can scrounge together a loss.

There is enough wiggle room in these next few matches to believe in a one or two goal turnaround.

But it all starts against Sunderland. Arsenal has to lay an absolute whooping on the Premier League bottom feeders to open up another way forward, other than a desperate hope that Calum Chambers and Boro can stuff the Reds.

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Seeing the Gunners stick four on Stoke City away from home cracked the door open for this new way into the top four, but now they have to burst that door down and dismantle a downtrodden Sunderland.