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This week's column on all things Arsenal FC...

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The harsh reality is that Arsenal haven’t really been in the title race for some time

The last few days may have ended Arsenal’s title hopes in most people’s eyes, but in truth their race was run way before the defeat by West Ham and the draw at Nottingham Forest.

The injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put an end to any hopes of Mikel Arteta’s side being champions, as did the club’s decision not to bolster their attacking options in January.

Even with Saka, Jesus, Martinelli and Havertz fit I think it would have been a long shot, given the way Arsenal have struggled at times this season and the superb form that Liverpool have shown, but without them there was just no chance.

For Arsenal to have put any pressure on Liverpool they would have had to win pretty much every game between now and the end of the season and that just wasn’t going to happen. They simply do not have the firepower at present to put a run together like that.

The last two games have shown that and in all honesty the signs were there for all to see in the win against Leicester before Mikel Merino’s dramatic late introduction saw that game swing their way.

So now I think they just have to focus on finding a way to finish the season as well as they can.

The big fear now is that it all just fizzles out and Arsenal get sucked into a battle to stay in the Champions League places.