Mikel Arteta has suggested that injuries and red cards left Arsenal destined for missing out on the Premier League title for a third consecutive season.
If the Gunners lose to Ipswich Town on Sunday and Liverpool beat Leicester, Arne Slot’s men will seize the title.
It follows the north London club having finished runners up in the previous two campaigns.
Their season this time has been blighted by injuries to key players such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, as well as controversial refereeing decisions.
They include Myles Lewis-Skelly’s sending off against Wolves in January, which was later rescinded by the FA upon an appeal, and a red card for Declan Rice for tapping the ball away against Brighton in August.
When asked whether Arsenal could have done more to challenge Liverpool, Arteta said: ‘For sure there would be things that we could have done.
‘If not, you would have won every game regardless of any injuries, any situation, any red card, any referee decision. But it is what it is.
‘We will make an analysis of what we've done well and not that well at the end of the season.
‘But probably the question would be, if you asked me in August, “With all these things that are going to happen to your team, where do you see your team finishing?”
‘Probably that (second place) would be the right answer.’