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While were all getting swept away by Champions League fever, Arsenal's Premier League title dream died a long and gruelling death.
Liverpool will be crowned champions should they secure at least a point at home to Spurs on Sunday after the Gunners picked up their 13th draw in the league against Crystal Palace.
Wednesday's 2-2 stalemate with the Eagles looked like it had come out of another manager's vintage. Arsenal performed nothing like we've grown to expect of them under Mikel Arteta, with a lack of control and defensive errors plaguing a haphazard showing which resulted in the dropping of more points.
Arteta's men can be excused for focusing on Champions League glory, especially given the manner they dispatched Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, but there's no denying that the club's attempt to put a semblance of pressure on Liverpool has been a little bit pathetic. They've now claimed 17 points from their previous ten games, meaning that not only have the Reds strolled to the title but there's suddenly a risk of the Gunners getting dragged into the discussion for a top-five finish.
Arsenal risk getting dragged into top-five finish race after barren Premier League run
While Arsenal have struggled for domestic victories as of late, they're still in an excellent position to play Champions League football next season - and not only because they're in the last four of the current competition.
The Gunners are also expected to qualify for the competition via league position. As a result of the Premier League's top-five qualifying, Opta rates Arsenal's chances of playing in the 2025/26 Champions League at 100%.
While several of the teams who can catch them have five games to go, they have a healthy deficit to make up. Chelsea, currently in sixth, are ten points behind Arsenal. Villa are also ten behind, but they only have four games left.
The Blues can reach a maximum of 72 points, meaning the Gunners require five points (or two wins) to guarantee a top-five finish. I can assure you that this Chelsea team will not win their five remaining games, especially as they're travelling to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest before season's end.
Arsenal do have tough fixtures left on their calendar, with Bournemouth arriving in between the two legs against Paris Saint-Germain. Arteta's men also host Newcastle and travel to Liverpool. However, they visit Southampton on the final day, which should be a comfortable three points.
Given that several of the top-five challengers are yet to play one another, it's likely that Arsenal's place in next season's Champions League will be secure long before the final day. These are imperfect teams for a reason, and points will be dropped during the remaining month of 2024/25. While Arsenal are unlikely to win out, they're at very little risk of dropping out of the top-five.