Arsenal Vs Spurs: Top-four hopes hang in the balance

Arsenal have been helped out quite substantially by the weekend’s results. As such, in preparing to travel to Wembley for the second North London derby of the season, they have a chance to re-establish themselves in the top-four race. Lose, however, and the ghost is likely up.

A quick perusal of the Premier League table will not be a happy read for Arsenal fans: Sixth position, 45 points, and only closer to the top of the table than the bottom by a singular point. It is not a pretty sight at all.

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What is especially frightening is the gap to the top four, and their consequent Champions League hopes. Even after a dismantling of Everton on Saturday, the Gunners still find themselves five points behind Chelsea, who currently sit in fourth.

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And that, in all honesty, is a highly fortunate situation. Chelsea have lost their two previous fixtures to Bournemouth and Watford with an average score of 7-1. The latter came on Monday night, when Antonio Conte’s side had the chance to extend their advantage over Arsenal to eight points and all but end their top-four hopes. Now, they have breathed new life into Arsene Wenger’s side.

That is especially true because of their next fixture: A Saturday lunchtime trip to Wembley to play Tottenham Hotspur in the second North London derby of the season. Irrespective of their positions in the table, this would be a significant game with major ramifications. But given their proximity in the league standings, it only takes on a greater importance.

Spurs currently sit four points clear of their great North London rivals thanks to Harry Kane’s last-gasp penalty against Liverpool to snatch a point at Anfield. It is, for the moment, a serious disparity that will not easily be overcome.

But such is every time that two teams face one another, this is a six-point affair: If Spurs win, they will extend their advantage to what is perhaps an unassailable seven points; if Arsenal win, they haul themselves to within one point of Mauricio Pochettino’s side and right back into the heart of the top-four race.

Moreover, with Chelsea’s self-destruction and Liverpool’s continued limping, there are now four teams all embroiled in a fight for that final Champions League position. The Gunners have the slimmest chance of all four to sneak in, and justifiably so given their major shortcomings that have undermined the team time and time again this season.

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But with a win on Saturday, they give themselves a major lifeline that even a week ago seemed improbable. All this, though, is futile without that ever-precious three points. It’s all to play for.