Arsenal still have more more games to play before we reach the halfway stage of the EPL season, so there is a lot of water to go under the bridge and a lot of footballing twists and turns to come before someone gets to lift the big trophy in May, but our attempt to be that club is looking a lot better after the reigning champions Leicester City rose from their slumber to inflict a painful defeat on Man City yesterday.
I do not just mean that we now have a four point lead over one of our main title rivals, although any extra gap is good as I do expect Pep Guardiola’s talented team to bounce back. Even more important than the points could be the effect this game has on the clash between Arsenal and Man City next weekend.
If we can beat struggling Everton on Tuesday then the trip to the Etihad stadium on Sunday could see us end 2016 ion a real high and maybe even in top spot if Chelsea falter. Losing 4-2 to the Foxes will have done no good to a team already struggling for form and confidence and missing key players through injury and suspension.
With their captain and defensive rock Vincent Kompany out until the new year Guardiola will have been dismayed at how poor his back four were in Leicester and the keeper Claudio Bravo had a shocker. In midfield they struggled without Fernandinho who will miss the match against us because of a ban, as will Sergio Aguero.
The striker’s young replacement Iheanacho may as well have stayed on the bench for all the impact he had on the game, so while they have a game against Watford on Wednesday to rebuild some confidence they will not be looking forward to the the visit of an Arsenal side in full flow and if we beat them it will be one of the toughest fixtures of the season out the way.
Is it all going right for the Gunners at last?
Bob.