Arsenal: Have the Gunners rejuvenated their title ambitions?

Arsenal exhibited a rancorous show of might as they blitzed past Huddersfield with a 5-0 victory in a midweek Premier League encounter.

Signs of the Gunners having a field day were imminent when Alexandre Lacazette found the back of the net after just three minutes on the clock. The goal was however a wake-up call for the Terriers who prevented further infiltration by the hosts for the remainder of the first half.

There was no stopping Arsene Wenger’s charges after the interval however, as three goals in a span of four minutes put the result beyond reach for the visitors.

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil scored a goal apiece while Olivier Giroud wound up the result with his second goal of the night in the 87th minute.

Back in the top four

Arsenal have seemingly gotten into their stride having overcome a slow start to the 2017/18 campaign, with recent wins over Tottenham and Burnley elevating them into the last Champions League spot.

The win over Huddersfield cemented their place in fourth with 28 points, two points ahead of Liverpool.

Occupying a Champions League qualification place comes as a mental boost for the Gunners not only because they were relegated to the second tier European competition last season, but for all intents and purposes, puts them in the right frame of thought ahead of hosting what has been a rampant Manchester United side this season.

Ozil in the mix

Key to Arsenal’s buccaneering performance on Wednesday was the individual brilliance of Mesut Ozil. The German international set up two goals and capped off the scintillating performance by getting on the score sheet.

Ozil and Alexis, quite rightly the most pivotal players in Wenger’s current squad, have been embroiled in a transfer saga that has seen the duo blatantly refuse to extend their contracts.

Although the Arsenal gaffer used the performance as a case study of their commitment to stay at the Emirates, it’s unlikely that an astute businessman like Wenger would risk losing the duo on a free transfer at the end of the season.

League winners?

Arsenal may have gotten back to winning ways with three significant results, but the race for the Premier League crown remains to be a Manchester affair.

A fine run of form could see the Gunners catch up with United who are only four points away, which is not the case for League leaders City who have a 12-point advantage over Arsenal.

Written by Brian Humphrey

Follow Brian on Twitter @brihum

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