Arsenal fans won’t see things that way, but what happened over the past seven days could work in their team’s favour.
Simply put, there’s no gray area around next week’s trip to Manchester now – they need to get a result.
Few sides in Premier League history involved in a title race at this stage of the season would have lost two points to West Ham, leading 2-0.
However, it would be maddening if Mikel Arteta’s team suddenly had doubts consumed after all the excellent progress they’ve made this season.
Nothing has been decided yet and they definitely have the option of going to the Etihad on April 26 and getting away with at least a point.
Arsenal are now just four points ahead of Manchester City, who have played one game more
The Gunners slipped a 2-0 lead against West Ham for the second time in as many weeks
It’s going to be the game of the season, I’m sure. There is no room for error on either side and I expect this will lead to fireworks.
No good from Sanchez angry
An afternoon playing for Aston Villa towards the end of the 2015-16 season lingers in my mind. As I stood in the tunnel waiting to go outside to warm up, I heard the stadium announcer say, “Number four, Micah Richards!” — then I heard boos from the Villa Park crowd.
It had been a terrible year, we were heading for relegation and I understood that the home fans wanted to vent their frustrations. I won’t lie and tell you I brushed it off – of course it hurt – but I can’t imagine how Davinson Sanchez feels right now.
He made a mistake before a goal, but come on… no footballer should be treated by his own supporters the way Sanchez was treated. Nothing good can come of it. At least any team visiting Tottenham Stadium knows that the hosts are there to reach.
Davinson Sanchez was booed by his own fans after being substituted early against Bournemouth
Dyche rolls the dice with danger
I’m worried about Everton. I know what Sean Dyche can do and it is worrying to see his message not taken up by his players as quickly as it should have been.
A lack of goals is a big problem. I like Neal Maupay as a footballer but he was not the right signing to help Everton’s striker problems last summer. Burnley were relegated by 35 points last season – Everton currently have 27 and their last seven games are fraught with danger. It will be tight.
Gifted Stones deserves all the credit
John Stones’ conversion from England’s best central defender to a pace-setting midfielder is incredible to watch.
Pep Guardiola must be credited with seeing the potential in Stones to step forward, but don’t underestimate the intelligence and skill of the player to make this work.
For example, full defenders are used to bombing forward and being involved in attacks, but Stones have completely different skills and tasks to do. Stones is gifted and versatile, just like Trent Alexander-Arnold, and scoring with his left foot against Leicester made that clear. What a class act.
John Stones deserves credit for his recent successes for Manchester City
Normally a defender, Stones shines in midfield in manager Pep Guardiola’s new system
Leicester too good to fail
Dean Smith has been tasked with saving Leicester and I can tell his new side one thing: be prepared to run.
I worked with Dean at Aston Villa and he demands impeccable fitness from his players.
His motto was essentially ‘If you can’t press, don’t play’ and his sessions were relentless.
I really believe that Leicester have too much quality to go down.
Dean Smith must try to save Leicester from relegation this season
Don’t judge Sadio who goes on strike
How sad to read about the dressing room battle between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane after Bayern Munich lost to Manchester City last week. I was shocked because Mane is one of the last players I would expect to be involved in such a situation.
Mane was made for Liverpool and Liverpool was made for Mane and the divorce last summer has benefited neither side.
Do not judge the Senegalese star by this incident. It is out of character and shows that everyone is human.