Mikel Arteta believes the timing of injuries that hit his squad late in the season ultimately cost Arsenal in their bid to hold off Manchester City and win the Premier League.
The team’s collapse largely coincided with a back injury sustained by defender William Saliba during their Europa League exit to Sporting Lisbon in March, with stand-in centre-back Rob Holding struggling to match the standard set by his team-mate.
Arsenal were also without strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu and midfielder Mohamed Elneny for large parts of the season as they were eventually chased down by City despite leading the table for 248 days.
It hands the club the unwanted record of the most number of days spent top of the league without becoming champions.
Collecting just nine points from their last eight games extinguished the challenge from Arteta’s side, but the manager pointed to three draws in April – away at Liverpool and West Ham and at home to bottom-side Southampton – as the period where critical damage was done to their title hopes.
The Gunners threw away two-goal leads at Anfield and the London Stadium before gifting Saints a 3-1 lead at the Emirates, from which they could not recover to win.
Arteta felt his team should have beaten all three opponents in spite of Saliba’s absence, but noted that the title was usually won by sides that did not suffer the bad luck with injuries that hit Arsenal this season.
“There were a few things (that caused the collapse) because we could have won at least three of the games that we drew without Willy and two of them really comfortably,” said Arteta. “But we didn’t.
“We had some critical moments where we didn’t maximise the opportunity that we had in front of us. You have to arrive at this stage with 24 fit players in the best condition, ready to go.
“It happened last season. In the last stages we lost three or four key players and it’s happened this season.
“It’s a big lesson, because when you look who wins and how doesn’t win, they have the 24 of them with the knife in the teeth, ready to go physically and mentally, all going for it and they can have real momentum. We didn’t have that again.
“Timing is everything. Moments define the season in your own way and for opponents. That’s dictated by many, many, many factors and you have to acknowledge that. There are certain things you don’t control and certain other things not.
“We fail in certain (moments) in our control, but I’m sure there are things we could have done different or better.”
Arteta was asked whether he feared for Arsenal’s prospects of challenging again next season, given the difficulties that Liverpool have endured this campaign after pushing City to the final day last May.
Jurgen Klopp’s team have failed to make the top four despite finishing a point behind the champions last season after a pulsating title race.
As well as the loss of key players and feeling the impact of an ageing team, it had been suggested that there had been a mental hangover at Anfield from last year’s pursuit of Pep Guardiola’s side.
“Whatever we do now in the last game and what we’ve done in the last week is just to build into what is going to happen afterwards,” said Arteta.
“Painting a very clear picture of where we want to go and who wants to be part of that journey.”
The manager also reiterated his commitment to the club after a year in which his personal stock has risen greatly.
He added: “I am very happy here, I’m very happy with my contract. Let’s move on and let’s have a great season again.”
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's record-breaking hat-trick powers Manchester City to 4-0 victory Over Tottenham Hotspur Women
Reggae Girl Khadija "Bunny" Shaw delivered a historic performance on Friday, scoring a hat-trick that led Manchester City Women to a dominant 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur Women in the Barclays Women's Super League (WSL). Shaw's incredible feat helped City extend their lead at the top of the table, reaching 19 points, four clear of Chelsea, who have played two games fewer.
Shaw, who has now scored seven goals in the league this season, wasted no time asserting her dominance, scoring just moments after kick-off. Bursting through on goal, she slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving City an immediate 1-0 lead. In the 15th minute, Shaw struck again, towering over defenders to head home a looping cross from Lauren Hemp. Tottenham’s goalkeeper and fellow Jamaican, Rebecca Spencer, got a hand to it, but Shaw's powerful header proved unstoppable.
City continued to apply pressure, and in the 66th minute, Jill Roord added to the scoreline. After evading a challenge, Hemp found Roord in the box, who shifted the ball onto her left foot and fired it into the roof of the net, making it 3-0. Just a minute later, Shaw completed her hat-trick. Hemp, instrumental throughout, drove down the byline and delivered a precise cross into the box, where Shaw was perfectly positioned to knock it home.
Shaw's hat-trick set new records in the WSL. She became the first player to record three hat-tricks against the same team and broke her teammate Vivianne Miedema’s record with her sixth career hat-trick in the league.
Facing her fellow Reggae Girlz teammates Drew Spence and Rebecca Spencer, Shaw showed why she is one of the most prolific strikers in the league, continuing to propel Manchester City to the top of the WSL standings with her record-breaking performance.
Arsenal 5-0 Brighton: Five-star hosts run riot in statement win
Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Women's Super League, brushing aside high-flying Brighton with an emphatic 5-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Three goals in 12 first-half minutes had put the Gunners out of sight to ensure Renee Slegers continued her unbeaten start as interim boss.
Beth Mead returned to the starting line-up and took just 13 minutes to get her name on the scoresheet, cutting inside from the right to bend a lovely shot into the far-bottom corner.
Brighton were picked apart down their left again shortly after, with Kim Little fizzing a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box, and Caitlin Foord was on hand to turn it in from close range.
Three minutes later, Frida Maanum got a stunning third, whipping a delightful finish into the top-right corner from the edge of the box, and Foord should have got their fourth on the stroke of half-time but fired against the post while off-balance.
Substitute Lina Hurting then rose high in the 76th minute to flick on a corner which neither Sophie Baggaley nor Guro Bergsvand could keep out despite their best efforts.
Stina Blackstenius was dragged down in the penalty area in stoppage time, and Alessia Russo confidently stepped up to bury the resulting spot-kick to send Arsenal fourth in the table.
Data Debrief: Off the mark at home
Slegers looks to have settled into life as Arsenal's interim boss seamlessly, and Arsenal avoided a slip-up against a tricky opponent to register their first home win of the season.
They have now won all 13 of their WSL meetings with Brighton by an aggregate score of 48-2, while it is the fifth clean sheet Arsenal have kept against them at home.
Mead also improved on her already impressive record against Brighton - against no side does she have more combined goals and assists than the Seagulls (13 - eight goals, five assists).
Luis Enrique confirms PSG squad rotation for Angers encounter
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique confirmed he will rotate his squad for their trip to the Stade Raymond Kopa to face Angers in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The Parisiens' stuttering start to their Champions League continued in midweek, losing late on to Atletico Madrid to leave them 25th in the new 36-team league table.
PSG have lost five of their last eight games in the Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the competition.
However, Luis Enrique's side have been impressive in the league and are currently six points clear of Marseille at the summit of the standings.
They also boast an impressive record against this weekend's hosts, winning 19 of their 20 encounters in all competitions (D1) against Angers.
"The most important match is tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll rotate," Luis Enrique confirmed.
"I feel that with so little rest I need players. Angers are a highly motivated opponent who play at home.
"They can defend well and create problems in transition thanks to their wingers. I need all the players ready."
PSG will, however, be without William Pacho, who travelled to Ecuador on Thursday ahead of the international break and did not take part in Friday's training session.
Luis Enrique also insisted there had been a "blockage in finishing" in their recent fixtures in Europe, though they have not been shy of goals in Ligue 1.
In their midweek defeat, the Parisiens registered 22 shots compared to their opponents' four, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) of 2.12 to Atletico's 0.67.
However, PSG have scored a division-high 29 goals from their 10 games so far, and Luis Enrique is relishing the chance of rediscovering their clinical edge this weekend.
"After a match like Wednesday's, and I've been through others in my career, it's difficult. Emotions are going to absorb everything," he added.
"The result will make you see everything in a negative light.
"How am I feeling? Perfectly. The more difficult it is, the better. We're aware that there's a blockage in the finishing.
"There's no denying it, it's a general problem. We need to overcome that, through confidence, by trying to create clearer chances, and collectively.
"I know it's a medium to long term project, and there will be ups and downs."
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