Here’s How Arsenal Can Still Qualify For Next Season’s Champions League
Arsene Wenger bought himself a lifeline with a surprise victory over nemesis Jose Mourinho when Manchester United travelled to the Emirates at the weekend. The win puts the Gunners just 6 points away from Manchester City in the 4th place in the points table. They also have a game in hand over the Etihad outfit and are now back in the race for a place in the Champions League next season.
Arsenal have not been at their best since the turn of the year but they have a decent chance of finishing the season on a high and marking it a decent one, if they qualify for Europe. The likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City are also fighting for the two places in the top-4 and it looks likely that qualifications will go down to the wire. Here are two reasons why Arsenal still have a decent chance to qualify for Europe:
Liverpool’s habit
The Reds are the top goal scorers in the English top flight this season but they were held to a goalless draw by Southampton. Liverpool have failed to score against the Saints in over 400 minutes of football in all competitions. This shows how inconsistent they have been. Liverpool have not lost to a club placed in the top-8 of the points table currently and all their 6 losses have come against sides in the bottom half of the table.
They have two games remaining, both against teams in that part of the table. They are also teams who will love to sit back and frustrate the Reds; a mantra that seems to be working regularly. Surely, the games against West Ham and Middlesbrough are not a walk in the park and this should keep Arsenal alive.
Manchester United’s campaign
The loss to Arsenal at the weekend seriously dented Manchester United’s chances of a top-4 finish in the league. They do have a chance to win the Europa League this season and Mourinho will now surely turn his attention to that competition. Their fate in Europe will not affect Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League as England can have 5 teams in the elite competition if United win the Europa League.
United face Spurs in the league in the next game and have a little chance of keeping up with the race to the top-4. This leaves Arsenal with a fight against Manchester City and Liverpool, and there is every chance that they can push one of the sides down in their quest to Champions League qualification.
