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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Darren Wells

Arsenal stat lays bare extent of struggle to move on from Arsene Wenger

Arsenal were brought crashing down to earth following their FA Cup semi-final triumph at the weekend as they were humbled by relegation battlers Aston Villa on Tuesday.

Just days after causing a shock upset by knocking holders Man City out of the cup, The Gunners were downed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Villa midfielder Trezeguet.

Chances of European qualification were already hanging by a thread, but the defeat means Arsenal's only route into continental competition next season is by winning next month's FA Cup final with Chelsea.

History will tell you Arsenal stand in good stead for the trophy, given they've won it six times since the turn of the century.

All of those triumphs were achieved under former boss Arsene Wenger, as well as his first in 1997/98, but The Gunners' declining league form shows how far they've slipped without the Frenchman in charge.

Arsenal have lost 10 league matches in each of the last three seasons since Wenger's exit (EMPICS Sport)

In a stat unearthed by Opta Joe, Arsenal have now lost 10 league games for the third consecutive season - the first time the club has done so since the '80s.

The loss at Villa Park follows defeats earlier in the campaign to Liverpool, Sheffield United, Leicester, Brighton (x2), Man City (x2), Chelsea and Tottenham.

Arsenal can now only finish as high as eighth, but they must get a result against Watford on Sunday - who are battling relegation tehmselves - while relying on results elsewhere.

Mikel Arteta's side currently sit in 10th, with only Burnley and Sheffield United within catching distance going into the final day.

That means Arsenal will finish in their lowest league position since 1995 - the year before Wenger took over.

Even in his last season in the hot seat in 2016/17, when Arsenal went on their worst run under his management, losing four out of five Premier League fixtures from January to March, they still recovered to secure a fifth place finish.

A banner flew over Villa Park calling for Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke to leave the club (Pool via REUTERS)

During that campaign they slipped to nine defeats, though drew just six times, compared with 14 so far this season.

Wenger felt the full wrath of sections of the club's support towards the end of his tenure, and it seems they have now turned on the Arsenal board.

While there are signs Arteta's work is beginning to have the desired effect on the pitch, he was forced to defend Arsenal's owner, after a banner was flown overhead calling for Stan Kroenke to leave the club.

"The Kroenke’s and the board and the sporting director and everybody, I feel full backing with them," Arteta told Sky Sports. "What we don’t know is a lot of things that we have to wait a little bit of time to be there.

"But backing and support, 100%, I don’t need that.

"The fans have to believe what I’m saying because if not, believe me, I would not say that."

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