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Arsenal fans, brace yourselves—it’s been another tough weekend in the Premier League.
The Gunners looked promising at first, grabbing the lead with a cool first-half goal from Leandro Trossard during their clash against Everton. But things went downhill after halftime when young Myles Lewis-Skelly tripped Jack Harrison in the penalty box. It was a close call, but the referee pointed to the spot and Illiman Ndiaye made no mistake converting it into a goal. Just like that, Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
This result didn’t just sting—it seriously dented Arsenal’s chances of lifting the Premier League trophy this season. They’re now trailing league leaders Liverpool by a hefty 11 points, and with each game that slips away, their title hopes look more like wishful thinking.
And here’s the kicker: Arsenal have drawn seven times this season after scoring first—more than any other team in the league. In total, they’ve drawn 11 matches in the 2024/25 season, which ties them for the second-most among all clubs. Simply put, they’re struggling to close out games even after taking the lead.
Trossard’s goal wasn’t without significance though—he’s now the first Arsenal player since Alexis Sanchez (2016/17 and 2017/18) to score at Everton’s Goodison Park two seasons in a row. A small silver lining, maybe.
VAR Strikes Again?
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room: VAR. Arsenal’s relationship with VAR this season? Rocky at best.
Saturday’s penalty call against Lewis-Skelly raised eyebrows. Even though VAR backed the referee’s decision, many fans and pundits weren’t convinced. And this is not the first time Arsenal have felt wronged by the video review system.
According to ESPN, Arsenal have had six decisions overturned via VAR this season. But here’s the twist—five of them went against them, with only one in their favor. These included two controversial calls and three disallowed goals. They’re not alone, though; clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Wolves, Ipswich Town, and Brighton have also had five decisions go against them. But teams like Chelsea, Southampton, and Everton have had seven go the wrong way, and Bournemouth tops the table with ten!
Whether you blame dropped points, shaky defense, or dodgy refereeing, one thing’s clear—Arsenal’s dream of Premier League glory is slipping through their fingers.
And unless they turn things around fast—and maybe get a bit of luck with VAR—the dream might just stay a dream.