Arsenal maintain their top four ambitions

Arsenal have maintained their gap to the top-four of the Premier League following a hard-fought but yet convincing 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had not won a single game against Jose Mourinho in the top flight, but he managed to break the duck over the weekend with his side in desperate need of a win.

Both teams had their chances in the first period but neither managed to capitalise with the game seemingly moving towards a stalemate – something which United have got used to over the course of the season.

However, the match broke up in the second half as a deflected long-range shot from Granit Xhaka found the net in the 54th minute whilst Danny Welbeck managed to head in the second, three minutes later via a brilliant cross from the right by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Following the 2-0 loss to Spurs last week, many believed that the Gunners’ hopes of reaching the top four may have diminished, but their win over the Red Devils combined with Liverpool’s scoreless draw against Southampton gives them an outside chance of attaining a Champions League qualification spot for next season.

Arsene Wenger’s side currently have games versus Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland and Everton remaining, and there is the possibility of attaining a 100 percent result with neither of those clubs in a position to better their expectations.

Nevertheless, the Gunners still do not have the destiny in their own hands, and they will have to hope that one of Liverpool or Manchester City slip up in the final games of the campaign.

Arsenal are currently placed sixth in the league standings with 63 points, six adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City with a game in hand.

Meanwhile, they have two more games to play compared to third-placed Liverpool, who hold a seven-point advantage as they head into a tricky clash against West Ham United.

Image – PA Sport