Arsenal’s bid for a top-four finish is all but over after Unai Emery’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton on Renault Super Sunday.
Following Chelsea’s win over Watford earlier in the day, Unai Emery’s side knew nothing but a win would do in the race to finish in the top four and they took an early lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s ninth-minute penalty after Nacho Monreal was brought down by Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
However, the Gunners were pegged back by Glenn Murray’s second-half penalty (61) after Granit Xhaka tripped Solly March, leaving them three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with one game remaining.
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Arsenal could still secure a fourth-placed finish but it would require them to win at Burnley and Spurs to lose against Everton with an eight-goal swing. Realistically, their only chance of Champions League qualification would be by winning the Europa League.
Arsenal bid to win the Europa League
Arsenal are back in action on Thursday when they travel to Spain to face Valencia for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final.
The Gunners hold a 3-1 advantage after the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last Thursday.
Opta stats
- Arsenal are winless in their last four Premier League games (D1 L3), their longest run without a victory in the competition since February 2016 (also four games).
- The Gunners failed to win both league meetings against Brighton this season (D2), despite opening the scoring in both games – they last did this against an opponent in a Premier League campaign in 2010-11 v Spurs (D1 L1).
- Brighton avoided defeat away from home against “big six” opposition for the first time in the Premier League – they had lost each of their last 11 games before today.
- Arsenal have conceded 50 or more goals in consecutive top-flight campaigns for the first time since 1982-83 and 1983-84.
- Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the sixth different player to score 20+ goals in a Premier League season for the club, and the first since Alexis Sánchez in 2016-17. Since making his debut in the competition in February 2018, only Mohamed Salah (35) has scored more Premier League goals than Aubameyang (30).
