After 14 games of the Premier League season, Arsenal sit down in 15th position having only scored 12 goals.
Frankly, it’s a pathetic return when you consider the calibre of player that the Gunners have in their side, and it hints at real problems for manager, Mikel Arteta.
The Spaniard looked to have turned a corner last season, blowing away the cobwebs of the disappointing Unai Emery reign.
However, the north Londoners have reverted to type again in 2020/21, and heading into the Boxing Day fixture against Chelsea, Arteta is in no doubt what’s next if the team don’t perform.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said when asked if he believed that Arsenal were in a relegation dogfight, cited by the Daily Star.
“The next seven or eight days are going to be crucial to where we’re heading to in the Premier League. We have a crucial week, we have to stand up and we have to pick up points.”
After the London derby against the Blues, the Gunners face Brighton and Hove Albion, who could potentially leapfrog Arsenal with a win, and a West Brom side desperate for points.
They’re certainly the north Londoners’ three biggest games of the season, and once played, Arteta will have a much better idea of whether he’s able to get anything positive from his side in the remainder of the campaign.