Chelsea midfielder and former Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas, has tipped the Gunners to finish fourth in the Premier League this season after a recent slump now has them looking over their shoulders at Manchester United.
The Gunners were title favourites heading into the new year but a terrible 2016 has seen them fall out of every cup competition and they have lost incredible ground in the title race.
Arsenal now sit in fourth place, the mean position for the north Londoners over the past decade, and pressure is now on Arsene Wenger to deliver Champions League football after winning just two of their last seven league games and four of their last 13.
It has been a poor run of results for the Gunners in recent months, with defeats to Swansea City, Man Utd and Chelsea harming their chances, but Fabregas believes they will still finish fourth.
“Arsenal normally always end up finishing the season very strong physically,” Fabregas said during Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football coverage.
“So I have no doubt they will be there if they play well.”
The Spaniard did believe there was a chance his former side could still win the title prior to their draw with Crystal Palace at the weekend, however.
“Up until the 81st minute when Crystal Palace scored I still thought they were in the title race, to go for it, why not, obviously now it’s over but I believed, I was optimistic,” the Spaniard said.
Following Yannick Bolasie’s late equaliser, though, Arsenal now trail the leaders Leicester by 13 points.
Arsenal had finished in the top four without a title challenge in the last two seasons, but there was hope for the future after two FA Cup triumphs and then two wins in the Community Shield too.
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