Declan Rice marked his century of Arsenal appearances with a handomely taken goal. This major blow allowed his squad to take a commanding lead into the locker room at halftime. The game turned out to be a defining week for Arsenal. They looked to extend their lead as the second-place team in the Premier League. The Gunners are determined to secure Champions League football for next season, needing six points from their remaining three matches.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had rung the changes, making two before Tuesday’s woeful 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth. One of the most pressing changes was the withdrawal of full-back Jurriën Timber. That adjustment had been made late in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Arteta is looking for his players to display a bit more “fire in the tummy” as they prepare for their next Champions League fixture against PSG. They find themselves 1-0 down on aggregate after having lost the first leg at The Emirates Stadium.
Arteta was clear-eyed about the issues in the squad as they head into a pivotal week. He noted that despite their current position, “mathematically we are not qualified for next season’s Champions League,” emphasizing the need for continued focus on upcoming matches.
“We haven’t earned the right to finish second yet, so we still have a lot to do.” – Mikel Arteta
So the pressure is on Arsenal as they try to lock up their Champions League spot by finishing high enough in the Premier League. Now, with only three matches remaining in a tight league race, each and every point grows increasingly essential. Arteta remains optimistic, stating, “So [we must] make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.”
There is now doubt as to Timber’s availability for the next game against PSG. Arteta expressed doubts regarding Timber’s participation, saying, “Confident? At the moment, no, because he wasn’t able to play here and we play in four days.”
Arsenal are undoubtedly looking ahead to a very big week. All eyes will be on how they do both against PSG and in the continuing pursuit of those all-important Premier League points. This allows the team to remain sharply focused on their shared goals and objectives. They need to address these issues directly to have any hope of a strong close to this season.
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