Arsenal's suffered a notable setback to their hopes of Champions League qualification as Brighton & Hove Albion inflicted a home defeat on the Gunners on Saturday.
The setback came just days after Mikel Arteta’s side were humbled in a three-goal defeat against Crystal Palace and completes a miserable week for the team. Back-to-back losses against sides in the bottom half of the standings have left series question marks over the team’s ability to finish the season in the top four.
While that may not have been the club’s objective at the start of the season, the collapse of Manchester United ’s results this campaign had swung open the door – with Tottenham, West Ham and Wolves all in the running. With Arsenal not having any European competition this season – having finished a disappointing eighth in successive seasons under Arteta – and also out of domestic cup trophies, there was hope that they could close out a top four standing.
