Arsene Wenger is convinced that Arsenal’s 2-1 losses away to Everton and then Manchester City were a turning point in the Gunners’ season.

• Wenger says confidence dropped after two losses
• Arsenal lost 2-1 to both Everton and City
• Gunners now in sixth
• Highly unlikely to get Champions League football for first time in two decades

Although Arsenal had looked occasionally fragile ahead of their trip to Goodison Park, they were right in the title race and appeared to be ironing out their kinks. Or at least attempting to.

However, after losing to the Toffees and then leaving the Etihad without a single point, the team’s results spiraled out of control.

Now they’re down in sixth with little to no hope of playing in the Champions League next season for the first time in over two decades.

Wenger believes that these two away losses severely knocked the team’s confidence and were a turning point.

“Away from home, we’ve faded in big games,” he said ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United on Sunday.

“We didn’t take enough points and that’s very difficult to explain because it was the reverse last season.

“It was a turning point at Everton and Manchester City where we lost two games on the trot just after a Champions League game. It took our confidence away from us a little bit.

“Away from home, maybe even more than home, Cazorla was a very important player for us. He contributed a lot last season but this season we lost him very early.”

While the manager’s comments are probably true, it’s really concerning that a group of professional, senior players would be so severely affected by a couple of losses. So much so that their performances for the rest of the season are a complete shambles and the fans are attempting to push Wenger out of the club.

Football, and sport in general, is about winning and loosing. If the players are so disheartened by a loss, why not fight with everything they have to prevent that from happening again?