Arsenal out of two cups in as many games, their nerves now being tested in the final phase of the season. Not a great deal of football over the course of the weekend, but plenty of talking points nevertheless. Premier League, where are you? Issue 87. Go.

After Arsenal came up short in last month's Carabao Cup final, what once looked like a season of control has quickly turned into one of scrutiny. That level of scrutiny only gets deeper after being dumped out of the FA Cup at the weekend.

A second successive cup defeat for Mikel Arteta to deal with, a potential quadruple now being downgraded to a double at best. Admittedly the two prizes remaining are the most coveted but Arsenal now need to dig themselves out of an even deeper rut.

Tonight sees them take the next step of their European charge and although they are undoubted favourites to get the better of Sporting over two legs, they were in the same position to get the better of Southampton at the weekend.

The Saints putting their promotion charge on ice for a few days but looking as if they were Premier League quality against the division’s leaders. On the front foot from the off, they never let Arsenal settle.

Much was made of Arsenal’s slew of international absentees in the run up to the game, it turns out there was not an injury crisis running throughout the Emirates, now they have to avoid a crisis during the Premier League run in.

Admittedly, the Gunners still have a huge cushion over rivals Manchester City and even if they lose this month’s head-to-head clash between the two, there may not be enough road for Pep Guardiola’s men to continue their hunt.

If we take a look at Arsenal’s remaining seven league fixtures:

Bournemouth (H)
Manchester City (A)
Newcastle (H)
Fulham (H)
West Ham (A)
Burnley (H)
Crystal Palace (A)

You would have to admit that is a rather favourable end stretch. If they get the better of Bournemouth they would be 12 points clear before Man City next to the pitch, that margin could be the biggest psychological boost.

On the flipside, if they do not manage to extend their lead past nine points and just leave the door slightly open for this current City crop, it will only be a further test of how much mettle this Arsenal side has.

That in itself feels like wishful thinking and although it seems like every non-Arsenal fan is seemingly uniting in the hope for the mother of all collapses, they may just have to settle for celebrating two bouts of cup schadenfruede instead.

With all the Liverpool talk being attached to the outgoing Mo Salah and the potentially outgoing Arne Slot, it seems as if there is another narrative that needs to be addressed over the course of the summer.

Because on the evidence of his and his teammates performance at Manchester City on Sunday, it seems as if their usual defensive foundations could do with being reset if van Dijk stays around for the next couple of years.

Not to suggest that the 34-year-old should be shipped out from Merseyside in the off season but at the same time, his presence in defence is certainly fading nearly as quickly as the attacking talents of Salah.

Just like attacking prowess never last forever, nor does defensive acumen and with centre back partner Ibrahima Konate seemingly having his head turned since being linked with Real Madrid, the heart of Liverpool’s back line has been another Achilles heel.

With the Dutch defender going out of contract at the end of next season, the club’s board also have a decision as to whether he is going to be worthy of being offered a new deal within the space of the next 12 months.

If they do intend to do so, it will be because performances are deemed good enough to warrant one. For performances to be good enough, van Dijk may be better off as part of a defensive trio at the back.

The legs may have lost some impact but there is still plenty of footballing mind for van Dijk to be an asset to whoever the Liverpool manager will be next season. Pair Konate up with a new signing and have the former Southampton man drop a little deeper.

Who they buy is outside of my remit but when you consider how much attacking personnel has been purchased under Arne Slot, it seems like now will be the perfect time to get his defensive house in order.

Then again, with the way Liverpool crumbled on Saturday, the pressure is steeped on the Dutchman. Champions League qualification now a necessity for the Merseyside outfit, but even a top five finish in the league might not be palatable enough.

PSG on Wednesday. A real litmus test OF whether this Liverpool side are still playing for Slot or whether they have downed tools in order for a new site manager to come and take charge instead.

Leeds make their way to the FA Cup semi finals after a penalty shootout win over West Ham on Sunday. Admittedly Daniel Farke’s men should have been home and dry in normal time but poor game management let the Hammers back into the tie.

2-0 down with 11 minutes of injury time added, the East London outfit scored twice in that additional period. Their late folly all for nothing as they failed to hold their nerve from a distance of 12 yards.

Leeds celebrating at the weekend, many before the game asking what either side would want the most. Cup progress or Premier League survival. Is one at the cost of the other? Can you end up having both?

For Leeds it is cup progress and making sure that at least one trip to Wembley does not derail their survival bid.

For West Ham, they now have to make sure the deflation of a cup exit does not derail their survival bid.

Especially as it is West Ham that currently occupy the final relegation berth. How much of a momentum shift will that result be when they return to Premier League action this weekend?

Ultimately, it is a lot of conjecture. If Leeds win the FA Cup and stay up, then they can say one fed off the other.

If won the FA Cup and went down, people would say cup success was at the detriment of their league status.

If West Ham stay up after losing on Sunday, people will say that the cup exit was the best thing for them

If West Ham go down after losing on Sunday, they will highlight the cup defeat as the start of a tailspin.

Pick your narrative and we will see which one is correct at the end of the season.

Truth be told, we did not really learn anything from Chelsea’s demolition of Port Vale last weekend. An emphatic 7-0 win over League One opposition was the perfect tonic for the Blues’ recent woes.

As referenced in the previous issue of the newsletter, Port Vale were always going to be the perfect opposition at the ideal time for Liam Rosenior’s side - even with Enzo Fernandez being stood down for two matches by the Chelsea boss.

It all clicking for the Blues at Stamford Bridge, it also tees them up nicely for their return to Premier League action at the weekend. Problem is, that action is the visit of Manchester City and on the evidence of their past two outings, they really are in the groove.

Manchester United have handed Harry Maguire a new one-year contract (with the extension of a further year) as the 33-year-old put pen to paper on Tuesday.

His current deal was set to end at end of this season and there were questions surrounding his future. However, a combination of solid performances under interim boss Michael Carrick and perhaps more importantly, a pay cut have answered them once and for all.

With Casemiro moving in the summer, United could do with another of their older heads hanging around. I know giving deals to over 30’s in the Premier League is far from fashionable but if Maguire is prepared to hang around on the cheap, it seems like a win-win for both parties.

Aarom Ramsey announces his retirement from football.

His highlight - Getting Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals

His lowlight - Getting his leg broken at Stoke

(will also accept missing the key penalty for Rangers in the Europa League final)

Hearts’ lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership is cut to a single point. One more fixture before the end of season split, we now know that the current leaders will also meet Celtic on the final day of the campaign.

Will it still be a three-horse race by that stage? Hearts fans will be hoping it is wrapped up before then, Rangers and Celtic fans will be hoping things go down to the wire.

Not many would have had Lincoln as promotion hopefuls at the start of the League One season but the Imps have been a class apart in England’s third tier and next season will be playing in the second for the first time in over 60 years.

Their promotion was secured on Monday with a late winner at Reading. Five games of the season remaining, seven more points will get them to the title.

Is it a better achievement than Wrexham’s promotion last season? Truth be told, I think it is.

Barcelona and Real Madrid both in Champions League action in midweek, but suffering mixed fortunes at the weekend.

The latter playing first on Saturday but missing out on the chance to cut the lead at the top to a single point. Alvaro Arbeloa’s men thought they were just going to drop two points when Eder Militao equalised with two minutes remaining.

Two dropped points turned into three when Real Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi scored a winner in injury time.

This gave Barcelona an extra stimulus before their trip to Atletico Madrid just a few hours later and Giuliano Simeone made his Dad proud by opening the scoring in the 39th minute, Barcelona found parity three minuTes later.

Marcus Rashford helping his bid to make the England World Cup squad after scoring the equaliser. Atletico then finding themselves a man light before the interval when Nico Gonzalez was given a straight red card.

Atletico now presented with trying to withstand Barcelona for 45 second half minutes, they managed to do so for 42. Robert Lewandowski scoring the winner and putting Barcelona seven points clear at the top.

Right, that’s the end of issue 87 as word continues to spread around the football world.

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Issue 87 drops Friday I’ll be back with another round of insight, analysis and trends that matter. Any feedback or comments on this issue, contact me below:

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