DAVID LUIZ boldly insisted back in October that Arsenal could challenge Liverpool, Leicester and Manchester City for the Premier League title this season.
The 32-year-old had his head in the clouds after netting his first Gunners goal to seal a narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth to lift them into third.
Arsenal haven’t won a Premier League game since David Luiz said they could win the titleCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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He told NBC Sports after the game: “My vision, my ambition and my will is always to fight for the title between the club, the players and the coach. We have the possibility to fight for the title.”
At the time, Arsenal, who haven’t won the league since 2004, were nine points behind leaders Liverpool and such a statement seemed unlikely.
Seven weeks on, however, and Luiz’s brash analysis is set to haunt him for years to come as the Gunners have since embarked on their worst run of form for 42 YEARS and are without a win in nine games.
Just two days after the Brazilian’s outlandish claim, Arsenal slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The following week, Unai Emery watched his struggling side throw away a 2-0 lead to draw with Crystal Palace at the Emirates after Luiz had helped fire them into the lead.
The Gunners were even denied a late winner when VAR controversially ruled out Sokratis’ late strike for a soft foul on Luka Milivojevic.
Arsenal failed to bounce back the following week with a 1-1 draw with Wolves, before they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to high-flying Leicester.
Arsenal after David Luiz said they could win the title
Oct 21: Sheffield United 1-0 Arsenal
Oct 27: Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace
Nov 2: Arsenal 1-1 Wolves
Nov 9: Leicester 2-0 Arsenal
Nov 23: Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Dec 1: Norwich 2-2 Arsenal
Dec 5: Arsenal 1-2 Brighton
Played: 7 Won: 0 Drawn: 4 Lost: 3
Alexandre Lacazette grabbed a last-gasp equaliser at home to Southampton to rescue a 2-2 draw against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s relegation-threatened side.
The match proved to be Emery’s last league fixture in charge as manager, but interim boss Freddie Ljungberg has also struggled at the helm.
Two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were not enough to earn a win away to Norwich at Carrow Road as Arsenal drew 2-2 for a third time.
Ljungberg also failed to secure a victory during his home match in charge, as goals from Adam Webster and Neal Maupay earned a Brighton a 2-1 win on Thursday.
Luiz himself rightly had a goal ruled out for offside with the scores level, as Arsenal fell to 10th in the table, now 24 points behind Liverpool after just 15 games.
The Londoners horror form since the centre-back’s October prediction has also begun to stretch into Europe, with four points from their following three group stage matches.
Club-record signing Nicolas Pepe earned Arsenal their only victory in any competition after Luiz’s claim, with two stunning late free-kicks in the 3-2 win against Vitoria.
But Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw in the return match, before a 2-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt spelt the end of Emery’s time in charge.
Ljungberg’s side next face London rivals West Ham on Monday, with the Swede claiming his players are SCARED after their home reversal against Brighton.
Arsenal fans furious as Aubameyang leaves pitch for toilet break with Gunners chasing a goal against Brighton
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
