Premier League 2022-23: Did Arsenal really 'bottle' the league after home defeat to Brighton?

If you have spent any time on the internet since Arsenal’s defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon you would have likely seen the word “bottle” thrown around in a gleeful and merciless fashion. Arsenal, if you remember, had an eight-point lead over Manchester City just over a month ago. After Sunday’s defeat they are now four points behind and City require just one more victory to take their third Premier League title in a row.

Ad And when we begin to look at, and discuss, this change of lead, we have to start there. This will be City’s third consecutive title. For those keeping score, that is the same amount of leagues that Arsenal have won since the Premier League’s creation in 1992.

Premier LeagueArsenal dealt massive title blow with home loss to BrightonYESTERDAY AT 14:34 Here are Arsenal’s most league finishes over the past five seasons; fifth, eighth, eighth, fifth and sixth. City’s? First, first, second, first, first. Coming into the season if you asked any Arsenal fan their expectations for this season, they would have told you to finish in the top four.

Yes a cup run in the FA Cup or Europa League would in the nice, but the ultimate goal was to get back into the Champions League. They had an exciting young core and a clearly talented young manager, now was the time to take that step and show that they were truly a part of the big six again after so many inconsistent seasons. If Arsenal could finish this season in that fourth position, so often the butt of a joke based on how the club used to celebrate it, and their young players could show more obvious signs of development then who could possibly be unhappy? Ten months later and Arsenal are guaranteed Champions League football for the first time