Arsenal looked back to their best in their outstanding 5-0 victory over Chelsea on Tuesday night, and they are still well within a shot of the Premier League title.
The Gunners are currently top of the league with four games to go, but Manchester City are four points behind with two games in hand, meaning that they will need to slip up, and Arsenal will need to be perfect, in order to secure the title.
Mikel Arteta has just four more games to navigate, but he faces tough tests in away games against heated rivals in Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
Although his squad have looked fatigued in recent defeats against Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, they were handed a fresh wind to demolish Chelsea as Thomas Partey made his second start of 2024, and this could prove to be vital in the title race.
Arsenal midfield trio of Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard could help them win Premier League
The Standard have now highlighted the midfield trio of Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard as a surprise Arteta can spring on Tottenham and Man United to give Arsenal an extra boost in the title race.
“Arteta will be tempted to stick with this midfield for Arsenal’s final four games, starting at Spurs. That trio feels like an incredible weapon for the Gunners to unleash so late in the season,” they stated of the three midfield stars.
Partey, Rice and Odegaard started as a three for the first time since the Community Shield in Tuesday’s victory over Chelsea, and all of them were excellent as Chelsea had no answer for their supreme physicality and ingenuity on the ball.
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Arsenal finally have settled lineup for title run-in
The return of Partey, and his excellent performance against Chelsea, could not have come at a better time for Arteta.
The Spaniard has changed his lineup regularly in recent weeks, but for the final four games, he will now be able to keep Kai Havertz in a striker role, and line up with his dream midfield trio, in front of a settled back four.
Arsenal’s build-up play, and pressure off the ball were unstoppable against Chelsea, with Partey’s progressive passing, Rice’s physical presence and Odegaard’s technical excellence providing the perfect balance in attack and defence, and having this trio could be key to winning at Spurs and Man United, when the need to be perfect in the league is higher than ever.