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Arsenal continue surge for English Premier League title

Arsenal pulverised Liverpool 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium to climb to second in the English Premier League and leave Liverpool well adrift in the race for a place in next season's Uefa Champions League. In Italy, Roma maintained their slender chances of the Serie A title by edging past Napoli 1-0

France international Olivier Giroud scored his sixth goal in six games for Arsenal
France international Olivier Giroud scored his sixth goal in six games for Arsenal Reuters/Morris Mac Matzen
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A few months back, the lament was where did it all go wrong Arsène? Overlord of the Thierry Henry inspired Invincibles, the purveyor of aesthetic passing patterns, was subjected to unprecedented vitriol from a gaggle of Arsenal fans at a cold train station in December in the midlands of England following a 3-2 defeat to Stoke City.

The man who had infused their team's football with an otherworldly lyricism was encountering unwarranted ingratitude in what was shaping up to be a winter of discontent.

Though countless banners of support were unfurled at Arsenal's next home game, the undercurrent was that Wenger was living on borrowed time.

But, as Arsenal approach the business end of the season, there's title talk in the air.

Arsène Wenger's men crushed Liverpool 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon to climb - at least for 48 hours - to second in the Premier League.

Manchester City will reclaim second if they beat Crystal Palace on Monday night. But the rise of the north Londoners has been impressive. Saturday's destruction of Liverpool was their ninth consecutive win in the Premier League.

Though Arsenal are four points behind leaders Chelsea, who have two games in hand, any slip-ups by the pacesetters could let Arsenal in especially as Chelsea have to visit the Emirates on 26 April.

Liverpool went to the Emirates keen to forget their defeat to Manchester United at Anfield just before the break for internationals. The Merseysiders had the better of the opening exchanges but Lazar Markovic and Raheem Sterling botched chances and Liverpool paid the price for their lack of precision.

Hector Bellerin struck first after 37 minutes, Germany international Mesut Ozil curled in the second from a free-kick three minutes later and on the stroke of half-time, Chile striker Alexis Sanchez made it 3-0.

Liverpool famously fought back from such a deficit in the Uefa Champions League final against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005. A decade ago skipper Steven Gerrard inspired the redemption.

On Saturday afternoon in north London, he wasn't part of the landscape. He's serving a three-match suspension after being sent off during the defeat to Manchester United.

Stand-in skipper Jordan Henderson slotted home from the penalty spot on 76 minutes after Bellerin fouled Sterling in the penalty area. But no more questions were asked of the Arsenal defence especially after Emre Can was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence - a spiteful foul on the England international Danny Welbeck.

France attacker Olivier Giroud thrashed in the fourth to make it six goals in six games for him and compound Liverpool's misery.

The journey back north will be grim. Three weeks ago Liverpool were the league's form team. They were undefeated in the league in 2015 and zooming in on a top four finish. They've now lost two on the trot and are adrift of that fourth spot which assures a berth in next season's Champions League.

Roma don't have that problem. Their soul-searching will centre on how they have let Juventus run away yet again with Serie A.

Miralem Pjanic got Roma's only goal of the game against Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico. With 27 points to play for, Juve's 11 point lead looks impregnable.

"It was probably all over from the beginning," Gazetto dello Sport football writer Alessandra Bocci told RFI. "Juventus have the strongest team and they know how to win the title."

"Roma used the referee's mistakes in the defeat to Juventus at the start of the season as an excuse. It's an excuse for one game but not for the rest of the season," added Bocci. "When there is pressure or problems, it's difficult if you don't have the experience. Juventus have that experience. This is the difference between Juventus and Roma."

Last December when Stoke City beat Arsenal, the fans' fury was as much against Arsenal's lack of nous against inferior opposition as their inability to challenge for the league title. That they were the FA Cup holders held little traction.

With 21 points to play for, it would be ironic if the 65-year-old Frenchman were able to silence the same boo boys by brandishing the Premier League trophy.

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