Ian Wright believes Arsenal are still in the Premier League title race despiteslipping further behind Liverpool after drawing at Chelsea on Sunday.
The ex-England striker has even jokingly told his former side to go on holiday to Dubai to revitalise their form, just as they did last season.
Arsenal earned a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge after Pedro Neto’s stunning strike cancelled out Gabriel Martinelli’s opener.
The result leaves the Gunners fourth in the table after 11 games, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, four behind Manchester City and level with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
Now winless in four league games, some have suggested that Arsenal’s title bid is already over having pushed City all the way in the last two seasons.
Conversely, Wright thinks the point at Stamford Bridge has kept Arteta’s side in the race, saying on the Wrighty’s House podcast: ‘A Chelsea side that’s in the ascendency and we still went there and got a point. I’m still taking that as a good point after 11 games.
‘The league is not decided. It’s going to be one of those seasons where teams are hopefully going to continue dropping points like City are. This point might come back to be so valuable.
‘Obviously Liverpool are in the flow at the moment. They started well and now they’ve got confidence and momentum. They’ve got goalscorers, defence looks solid, goalkeeper [Caoimhin Kelleher] is playing well for Alisson.
‘But you do feel that their time for a little hiccup might come, so the main thing is to stay in it because if we had lost you do start thinking we’re too far behind even though teams are dropping points.’
Given Arsenal’s slump, the international break could not have been better timed,especially as it should give key players Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice more time to recover from their injury issues.
Wright later added: ‘You just think how bad are these injuries? Because it’s Lee Carsley’s last England call-up are Arenal saying, “Saka, Declan, we need you to chill on this one!”‘
Podcast guest Clive Palmer chimed in, jokingly suggesting: ‘Get to Dubai for a couple of days!’
Wright replied: ‘Yes! You saw what happens when we go to Dubai. Get the shorts out, suncream, you know we’ll come back as The Hulk! We need it.’
After three consecutive defeats last season, Arteta took his whole squad for a mini-break in Dubai and it did the trick, with the Gunners losing just one of their remaining 18 league games, though they were still pipped to the title by City.
With the new Champions League format congesting the calendar, a similar holiday will prove tricky to organise, but Arteta has confirmed the club are looking to arrange one in the new year, meaning Wright and Palmer will get their wish.
For now, Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways when they host Nottingham Forest on November 23.
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