Arsenal sustained a hammer blow to their title chances against Watford on Tuesday night, losing 2-1 to the Hornets at the Emirates.
Although Chelsea were held to a draw by Liverpool, it means that the Gunners are now nine points adrift of the Premier League leaders ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Having shown an inability to keep the pressure on, many will doubt their hopes of winning the title this season and the result itself on Tuesday led to infuriated supporters letting out their anger on social media.
It led to the usual criticism for Arsene Wenger who bore the brunt of most of it, but there was some validity in that argument as the French tactician was slammed for his selections after changing the side significantly following their win over Southampton in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Regardless of the result this weekend, there is little confidence to suggest that Arsenal won’t slip up again in key games between now and the end of the season as they continue to lack consistency.
Losing in such disappointing fashion with changes disrupting their momentum and failing to come off will only lead to further criticism for Wenger as the atmosphere threatens to turn sour at the Emirates again.
Whether or not they could regroup and win at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen, but that will now likely be the minimum requirement if they are to keep supporters onside and believing that they can still somehow win the title this year.
FT: 1-2.
Utterly USELESS. #afc— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 31, 2017
Paid the price for an absolutely bollocks first 45 minutes. So depressing.
— arseblog (@arseblog) January 31, 2017
I like Giroud, have said it many times, but even if it’s too little too late, we have go back to Alexis up front and let him be a late sub
— arseblog (@arseblog) January 31, 2017
Arsenal were every bit as bad in that half as in the 1st 45m against Bournemouth. They need something equally miraculous to turn this round.
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) January 31, 2017
Comedy Club back in full effect
— Arsène's Son (@hughwizzy) January 31, 2017
Title race over in January. The players change but the constant in these title failures is Wenger. Every year.
— Sam (@samuelJayC) January 31, 2017
Punished for complacency and our inability to deal with an aggressive press.
Wenger set up bland and was punished.
— Le Grove (@LeGrove) January 31, 2017
Can't even challenge for the league for past 4 years where we had money and we bought with lot of £. Still same, Sorry Wenger but bye bye
— Osman (@OsmanZtheGooner) January 31, 2017
It's over for Arsene Wenger, we love you but it's over
— Bergkamp & Bergkamp (@Orangeiceman10) January 31, 2017
Everybody putting the blame on one player. Everyone except Iwobi was absolutely horrendous. All around terrible performance.
— D. (@HenryEdition) January 31, 2017