The 10-man Gunners were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday and now sit third in the Premier League table
Arsenal supporters have been here before and they will fear how it ends. Are the nearly men of the Premier League about to throw it away once again?
Arsene Wenger’s side lost 1-0 to London rivals Chelsea on Sunday as Diego Costa scored the only goal of the game against a Gunners team that played with 10 men for more than 70 minutes.
As the clock ticked down, television cameras panned in on Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud, sat in the stands, dressed in their club suits at the back and holding their heads in their hands.
Mertesacker had been sent-off in the 18th minute for a desperate lunge on Costa when the Chelsea striker was through on goal while Giroud was sacrificed to boos from the crowd as Gabriel came on to play in the back four.
It was not just this game that frustrated them, but the way that Arsenal’s title challenge continues to lurch between extreme hope and crushing disappointment.
A month ago, Arsenal had just beaten Manchester City and looked clear favourites to win their first title since 2004.
Now, they have won only twice in their last six matches and failed to win in their last three. They sit third in the Premier League table, three points behind leaders Leicester and on two ahead of fourth-placed Tottenham.
Arsenal have missed the chance to put put their pedal to the metal and establish a significant lead over their title rivals. Instead, they have opened the door and left it as a four-horse race as the season heads into February.
Wenger can point to bad luck, but there was a time when Arsenal would still have won a game like this with 10 men, especially against a Chelsea side that started the day 14th in the league.
Yet the hosts had to wait until the 87th minute for their first shot on target - a tame effort from Mathieu Flamini - as they sought a way back into the game. They were also fortunate not to concede a second after Cesc Fabregas was denied what appeared a clear penalty when he was brought down by Laurent Koscielny.
Now, they find themselves challenged by a Leicester team that keeps rolling on while Tottenham have crept up from behind and are breathing down their necks.
Manchester City also continue to stutter but boast the most lethal striker in the country with Sergio Aguero fit and and back to his best form.
There are 15 matches in a season in which no side seems to actually want to win the title and Arsenal have showed signs of potential champions at times this season.
Chelsea no longer have Jose Mourinho in charge, but his specialists in failure tag will continue to haunt Arsenal and Wenger until they win the title. Right now, they are threatening to implode once again.
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