One key Arsenal statistic suggests they can still win title – it’s great news for Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal suffered a major blow in regard to their title aspirations on Saturday evening at the Amex Stadium, after being held to a controversial draw against Brighton.

The Gunners looked to be heading towards a narrow victory on the south coast, with Ethan Nwaneri giving Mikel Arteta’s side the lead just 16 minutes in.

Nwaneri received widespread praise from Arsenal fans for his encouraging performance.

Anthony Taylor then changed the course of the match, awarding the home team a spot-kick on the hour mark after William Saliba was adjudged to have impeded Joao Pedro.

Arteta slammed Taylor’s penalty decision, which ultimately led to Arsenal dropping two points.

While this appeared to significantly dent Arteta’s team’s Premier League title hopes, Liverpool’s draw with Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday afternoon means the North Londoners remain six points adrift of the Reds, having played an extra game.

Fixture statistic shows Arsenal have hope of catching Liverpool

When the full-time whistle went at the Amex, Arsenal’s players slumped to the ground in frustration.

More dropped points meant faint title hopes that were still alive looked to be diminishing further.

An alarming statistic emerged indicating where Arsenal could improve ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Newcastle in the EFL Cup, as they look to resurrect their flailing season.

However, after Liverpool were held by United on Sunday, titles hope may not be gone, with a kink in the fixture list suggesting Arteta has reason to remain optimistic.

Of Arsenal’s 18 remaining matches, just eight are away from the Emirates, with the average current league position of the opponents of these fixtures 13.5.

Meanwhile, Liverpool still have ten away games to play, with the current average league position of the opponents in these encounters 9.3.

Arteta’s outfit have already travelled to the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Tottenham, while Arne Slot’s team have to visit all these teams barring the Magpies.

Just a May showdown with Liverpool at Anfield, and a trip to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest, awaits in regard to top half away trips for Arsenal.

While this also means in turn that Arsenal have some more difficult home games compared to their north-west counterparts, overall it clearly points to a less taxing fixture list.

Arsenal’s home record is strong under Arteta

While Arsenal still have to play Spurs, Villa, City, Chelsea and Newcastle at the Emirates in the league, the Gunners’ record at their own ground would indicate this isn’t a cause for pessimism.

Arteta’s side are yet to suffer defeat at home in any competition this season, while they lost just twice in the league on home soil last campaign.

Going back to the beginning of the 2022/23 season, Arsenal have won 35 of their 47 league home games.

With mostly bottom-half sides to come away from N5, a near immaculate away record can be expected, and thus maintaining their excellent home form could be instrumental to re-mounting a title charge in the second half of the season.