This could be Arsenal season after all both in the Champions league and in the Premier league. The Gunners recorded an impressive 5-1 win over West Ham on Saturday which catapulted them to the second position in the league standings thanks to Alexis Sanchez heroics and their title rivals dropping points.
The Chilean international was involved in four of his side’s five goals providing assists for the first goals and scoring a hat-trick. Man City were outclassed by Antonio Conte’s Chelsea as they lost 1-3 to the Blues. Liverpool defensive frailties showed again, losing 3-4 to Bournemouth despite leading by 3-1 with 14 minutes remaining.
And after escaping their usual November slip up Arsenal went ahead to break their Champions League jinx by topping their group for the first time in six seasons. Arsenal had finished second in each of those six seasons and have crashed out of the competition at the second stage.
After conceding a late goal against PSG at the Emirates in November, it was believed another disappointing season has beckoned on the London club. The theory was that Arsenal will finish the group as runner-up if PSG could defeat Ludogorets, the outcome in the Basel notwithstanding.
However, the Gunners impressive 4-1 win – which saw Lucas Perez scoring a hat-trick- was helped by Bulgarian side holding PSG to a shock 2-2 draw in France which allowed them to top the group, their first in seven years.
Arsenal can now avoid the likes of Barcelona and Monaco who had eliminated them at the second round but can still face Rea Madrid or Bayern Munich.