Is the fabled Manager of the Month curse about to strike Arsenal?
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Everything seems pretty rosy in the Arsenal garden at the moment, with the Gunners’ excellent form leading to a brace of gongs in the Premier League’s monthly awards.
Arsene Wenger claimed the Manager of the Month trophy, with red-hot striker Olivier Giroud grabbing the player award after scoring five times in March.
Arsenal have won nine of their past 10 matches in the Premier League, and find themselves just one point behind second-place Manchester City as the season enters the home straight.
There’s even been some talk of an unlikely title bid, although the Gunners’ lengthy 25/1 odds tell the story of their chances of overhauling Chelsea.
However, while the Manager of the Month curse, which dictates winners of the award will endure an immediate slump afterwards, might be nonsense in general, it could come true this time around.
Arsenal’s excellent form has not come playing the sides around them, with their record against other clubs in the Premier League’s top seven making for grim reading this term.
The Gunners have won just two of nine games so far, and still have to face Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United during their run-in.
Wenger’s side are 17/20 favourites to beat Liverpool, but grabbing the visitors’ 16/5 to claim three points might be worthwhile, especially as the Reds have won five of their last six on the road, and haven’t conceded a goal in that run.
Following the match with Liverpool, Arsenal face a tricky trip to Burnley, who just beat Manchester City at home, before hosting Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho still enjoying an unbeaten record against Arsene Wenger.
For those who fancy an implosion of the highest order at the Emirates, Ladbrokes are offering odds of 7/1 that the Gunners don’t make the top four.
It might seem unlikely now, but a Liverpool win would put them just three points behind Arsenal, and it’s not outrageous to suggest the Gunners could also drop points against Burnley and Chelsea.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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