At the beginning of the recently concluded season, no rational pundit or fan expected Arsenal to be contenders for the title, not even Mikel Arteta.
Hope is often the culprit that leads to despair, as when hope fades, people tend to grasp onto anything to avoid sinking into misery.
Aiming for a top-four finish appeared to be a realistic goal for a young team that was still adjusting to the challenges of English top-tier football.
But game by game, the Gunners went from strength to strength and by the time the season took a break to pave way for the2022 World Cup in Qatar – it looked as if Arteta could lead the young guns to a first Premier League title since Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ in 2004.
After all, almost every team that has been on top of the league on New Year’s Day went on to win the title.
Arsenal’s ‘excuses’ for losing EPL
But unknown to Arteta and Arsenal fans, they were facing the unstoppable and well-oiled force that is Manchester City.
One knows how the story goes by now – Pep Guardiola won his third consecutive league title.
Enter the excuses:
Well, from injuries to key players like William Saliba to the inexperience of the young players, Arsenal fans have conjured up reasons why their side couldn’t last the mile.
But no excuse seems crazier than one Gunners fan, who blamed Queen Elizabeth II’s death last year for their struggles at the end of the season.
In a TikTok video shared by @globalmanunitedfans, the unidentified Arsenal fan claims the Queen’s passing came just when his team were at the peak of their season.
Queen Elizabeth II’s death
Queen Elizabeth II passed on aged 96 years on September 8, 2022, at the Balmoral Castle after ruling for 70 years, as reported by BBC News.
Before her death, Arsenal were supposed to play City on October 19, but a lot of fixtures were rescheduled to allow the nation to mourn the death of the longest-serving monarch.
As the fan argues, had the game been played when it was intended, Arsenal could have beaten Manchester City.
“Our form going into that game was crazy. We had just registered six consecutive wins. We were phenomenal. We were absolutely on fire.
We had no injuries. City had just drawn with Copenhagen [in the Champions League] and lost to Liverpool. We were unlucky because it was a once-in-a-lifetime incident.”
It’s perhaps a good thing he started his argument with the phrase ‘bear with me’.
When the two sides eventually met in the rescheduled fixture on April 26, the defending champions blew away Arsenal 4-1 to register the first tectonic shift in the title race.
The EPL title loss is a moment that will take a while before it fades away, but the young stars under Arteta can take solace in the fact that they dared to rival City for the title.
For Arsenal fans, any excuse that helps them sleep at night is understandable.
Aguero backs Arsenal, Manchester United
Sports Brief also reported that Sergio Aguero named the only two teams he believes have what it takes to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title next season.
Kun, who won the English top flight on five occasions with the mighty Citizens, has backed Arsenal to challenge City for the crown next season, and feels Man United can too.