What a sad way to give up on a golden chance. Arsenal who started the season like a house on fire have ended the season in shambles.
Mikel Arteta was almost like a motivational speaker that can push young players to win the most prestigious league title in the world – the Premier League. But when it mattered the most, his antics on and off the pitch could no longer create the magic.
After topping the Premier League table for over 200 days of the season, Arsenal started showing they don’t have all it takes to finish the battle from April this year. A series of bad games including avoidable draws to Liverpool, West Ham, and Southampton, and an eminent 4-1 defeat to Manchester City gifted the title to the Blue side of Manchester.
Even though Arsenal’s inconsistency surrendered their 8 points lead to City before May, and City became league leaders with a 4-point gap heading to matchweek 37, Arsenal still had the hope that City would slip somehow.
Unfortunately, it was the Gunners that kept slipping even to their today’s opponent, Nottingham Forest who are struggling to escape relegation.
Ahead of the game, it was clear that if Nottingham Forest defeated Arsenal, the game was over even before Manchester City took on Chelsea on Sunday.
As least expected, Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi who has scored for Forest in each of their last two games scored against Arsenal to become the third footballer to score in three successive Premier League games for Forest.
His 19th-minute goal was all Nottingham Forest needed to secure their place in the Premier League, and it was all Manchester City needed to win the Premier League title for the third time in a row.
So, whether Manchester City beat Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday or not, coach Pep Guardiola and his boys will lift the Premier League title for the fourth time in five seasons on the said day.
