While many fans were proud of Arsenal’s performance in last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United, it’s clear Arsene Wenger struggles to inspire his side in big games.
After 15 games in the new Premier League campaign, Wenger’s side have played all of the big-six, but their results leave a lot to be desired.
- 27/8/17: Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal
- 17/9/17: Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal
- 5/11/17: Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal
- 18/11/17: Arsenal 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
- 2/12/17: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
It hasn’t all gone according to plan so far for the Gunners, scoring just four goals in the five games against the elite sides, conceding 10 for their troubles.
And unfortunately for Wenger, Arsenal are repeating the same mistakes of last season, when looking at their record from 2016/17.
- 14/8/16: Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
- 24/9/16: Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea
- 6/11/16: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
- 19/11/16: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
- 18/12/16: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal
- 4/2/17: Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal
- 4/3/17: Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
- 2/4/17: Arsenal 2-2 Manchester City
- 31/4/17: Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal
- 7/5/17: Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United
Last season, Arsenal managed only two wins from the 10 games against the big six in the Premier League, conceding 17 goals for their troubles.
If the Gunners want to be challenging at the top of the table, these are the matches Arsenal need to improve in. They travel to face Southampton on Sunday, desperate for a response to ensure they don’t lose ground in the Champions League places.
Arsenal have had their fair share of bad luck in the big games over the last 18 months, but those excuses won’t give them three points. Wenger knows his side need to prove their top-four credentials by beating the teams around them in the table.