Arsenal blew a two-goal lead for the second recreation in a row as Bukayo Saka’s penalty miss proved essential within the Premier League leaders’ damaging 2-2 draw in opposition to West Ham on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect struck twice within the first 10 minutes on the London Stadium because of objectives from Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
However simply seven days after squandering a 2-0 benefit of their 2-2 draw at Liverpool, the Gunners once more cracked underneath the strain of the title race.
Mentioned Benrahma’s penalty lowered the deficit for West Ham earlier than the interval and after Saka fired his spot-kick large early within the second half, Jarrod Bowen volleyed in an equaliser for the struggling hosts.
It was a hammer blow for Arsenal, who sit 4 factors away from second-placed Manchester Metropolis however have ceded the title race momentum to Pep Guardiola’s group.
“It began extraordinarily nicely once more. We scored two lovely objectives. After that we made an enormous mistake to not play with goal to attain the third and fourth,” Arteta mentioned.
“We simply thought we might mess around them and maintain the outcome. That gave them hope.”
Metropolis had closed inside three factors of the Gunners after beating Leicester 3-1 on Saturday and it’s the champions who’ve the future of the title of their fingers regardless of trailing Arsenal for a lot of the season.
Metropolis, who’ve gained their final 10 matches in all competitions, have a recreation in hand on Arsenal.
With a house recreation in opposition to Arsenal looming on April 26, Metropolis know they may carry a fifth title in six seasons in the event that they win their remaining eight matches.
By the point Arsenal journey to the Emirates Stadium they are going to be seven factors away from Metropolis in the event that they beat bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Friday.
But that hole would nonetheless look uncomfortably small to Arsenal followers fearing their group are within the means of losing a golden alternative to win a primary title since 2004.
Whereas Metropolis are battle-tested in dealing with the stress of the title race, Arsenal’s younger squad look to be struggling an ill-timed assault of nerves.
“My fear is after 2-0 we made that vast mistake,” Arteta mentioned. “We did not perceive what the sport required in that second. We want that ruthless mindset to go and kill a group.”
Arsenal wanted simply seven minutes to take the lead as Odegaard’s deft move discovered Ben White, who delivered a low cross that Jesus slotted residence on the far submit.
Jesus’s fourth objective in his final three video games was adopted by the Gunners’ second three minutes later as they ruthlessly punished West Ham’s woeful marking.
Gabriel Martinelli’s pin-point cross discovered Odegaard in acres of area and the midfielder blasted a volley previous Lukasz Fabianski from an acute angle six yards out.
The turning level got here within the thirty third minute when Arsenal, trying slightly over-confident after such a swaggering begin, needlessly conceded a penalty.
Thomas Partey surrendered possession to Declan Rice and when the West Ham midfielder picked out Lucas Paqueta’s run, Gabriel Magalhaes’ mistimed sliding sort out was accurately dominated a penalty regardless of Arsenal appeals for handball.
Mohamed Salah had missed a penalty in opposition to Arsenal final weekend, however they have been out of luck