Arsenal facing title ultimatum as Champions League race looms following Newcastle defeat

In what was without question the worst performance of Arsenal's season, the Gunners' title hopes have reached a low not seen in some years.

The absence of Martin Odegaard is obviously being felt, but seeing their title rivals also lacking Kevin De Bruyne, for example, and still relentlessly winning, is very telling.

Both Liverpool and Man City have a sizeable gap at an early stage, and if anyone has learned anything from these past two seasons, it is how few points can afford to be dropped.

But how have Arsenal got here? To look so incredibly weak and devoid of ideas.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Odegaard's absence, yes, but defensively the side is a shadow of the team that kept so many clean sheets. Is it a mentality thing? Perhaps.

The Arsenal players failed to create anything meaningful until the final moments of the game. Remember, this is a team that felt utterly robbed by the incidents of last season and has shown little intensity or verve to try to avenge those moments.

I could not help but primarily feel for the supporters who made an arduous journey up to the north east and could scarcely have been more poorly repaid by the team. There are of course other potential focuses beyond the league, but the Gunners cannot afford to let this get much further away otherwise even a top-four finish could be in jeopardy.

Arsenal have a Champions League clash with Inter next week which could help them rise into the top eight of the competition, and the win over Preston in midweek meant that the club is also in a quarter-final, and they will expect to progress to the semi-final. Arteta now must wrestle with his side's attitude because that now is also under the microscope.