To say Arsenal have played above expectations this year would be the understatement of the decade. Although some Gooners were quietly confident of cracking the top four, and some had modest hopes of challenging the Man City and Liverpool stranglehold at the top of the Premier League, nobody could envisage that they would be four points clear with a handful of games left in the season.

Football is still the most popular sport for betting enthusiasts, and for Gooner fans, the latest odds of 7/4 for an Arsenal league win are a great indicator of how they will finish the season off. Although they’ve picked up an unfair reputation of being bottlers over the last decade, this team is anything but. Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka are two of the best young footballers on the planet.

They have propelled the Gooners right to the top of their perch. They’ve consistently delivered in big games and shown the heart and determination necessary to return from the brink of defeat and win games. Ultimately, that is what makes champions. If you examine some of the top title winners over the last couple of decades, they all have one thing in common?they know how to win. Irrespective of whether the game is going their way or not, or if the referee seems to have it in for them, they will battle right until the final whistle and often score winners deep into stoppage time. 

Will They See It Out?Given the odds are now so low on Arsenal lifting their first league title in nearly 20 years, it is refreshing to see a team that hasn’t spent anywhere near the same amount as Man City, Liverpool or Chelsea, performing so well as a unit. Arteta has achieved a miraculous job and will be hailed as manager of the season if he can push the team past the finish line in their final eight games. 

Although some challenging games are yet to come against the likes of City, Brighton, and Chelsea, you’d think their home advantage will be able to push them over the finish line against Chelsea and Brighton. The Man City game on 26th April could be where the title is decided. If Arsenal can get the point, or even come away from the Etihad with a win, you’d think their name is already on the trophy. 

With such a substantial gap and so few games left in the season, Manchester City may have slowed their pursuit by that stage. Let’s not forget that they will also be focused on their first Champions League success. 

If Arsenal are still ahead by that point, the title will more or less be decided, so it won’t even matter if they lose at the Etihad. However, as it stands, Mikel Arteta will have this game earmarked as a crucial title decider.

Could They Lose It?Stranger things have happened. Although they have a commanding and impressive lead at the moment, with Man City still in hot pursuit, it could only take a couple of winless games for the doubt to start creeping in. Ultimately, Arsenal doesn’t want to give City any leeway or advantage and they will be keen to get revenge after a home defeat in the reverse fixture. 

Even if Man City is far behind, a couple of losses could build momentum in the City camp, and this is the last thing we want to happen if they’re travelling up north at the end of April.

ConclusionWe’d like to say the Gooners can do it. There have been some crunch games that could have derailed this title charge and they passed the tests with flying colours. Despite minor blips away to Everton, which seems to be Arsenal's bogey ground, they have risen to the occasion more than once.

Some key highlights involve coming back from 2?0 down to win in the last minute against Bournemouth and a big win at home to Liverpool at the beginning of the season that set the bar high for a possible title run. 

If Arteta manages to lift the league title with this group of players, it’ll be the most outstanding managerial achievement since Leicester City’s infamous title win in 2016. While it might not be of the same stature, it is up there and it shows why football truly is the most fantastic sport in the world, especially when big spenders like Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool finish the league campaign empty-handed because of a robust North London outfit who know how to win the biggest games and trophies.