A dark day for Arsenal at the Bridge sees their title hopes fade

What should have been a day of huge joy for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, celebrating his 1000th game in charge of the club, rapidly turned to despair at Stamford Bridge as yet another title rival dismantled the Gunners in a blitz of goals.

If losing 6-3 at the Etihad earlier in the season and then being mauled 5-1 by Liverpool on their travels had already discredited Arsenal’s Premier League title chances, then a catastrophic 6-0 loss at Chelsea effectively extinguished all hope.

This theory is backed up by Ladbrokes, with the bookmakers pushing Arsenal out to massive 40/1 long shots to claim the title this season.

That leaves the Gunners’ latest tormentors, Chelsea, as 6/4 second favourites to hoist the trophy behind Manchester City at 5/4, with Liverpool an industry-high price of 3/1 to win their first English crown for 24 years.

While Arsenal were humiliated in yet another Saturday lunchtime kick-off, City and Liverpool went about reaffirming their own claims on the title, recording big wins over Fulham and Cardiff respectively.

Liverpool are yet to entertain both Chelsea and Manchester City at Anfield, which could just be the Reds’ trump card in the run-in.

Now playing catch-up after their latest chastening defeat to a top-four team away from the Emirates, Arsenal’s best hope of ending their eight-year trophy drought appears to lie with winning the FA Cup.

Should the Londoners overcome the holders Wigan at Wembley in their semi final, then they could even face the prospect of a final against Sheffield United, currently plying their trade in League One.

Understandably, Arsenal are the 4/9 favourites to win the competition, with Hull completing the last-four line-up.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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