Premier League

Arsenal rocked by Gabriel Jesus absence as long-term injury has ended their title challenge before

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal are clear at the top of the Premier League but will have to make do without Gabriel Jesus. Injuries have helped shape the title race before.

That five-point advantage Arsenal have over Manchester City is about to be tested during the absence of Gabriel Jesus. These players left a title race and returned to something a little less prestigious.

Roy Keane (1997/98)

Manchester United’s position before injury: Second, one point off first.
Manchester United’s final position: Second, one point off first.

United were second when they went to Leeds in late September and they finished second behind Arsenal come the end of a season which their captain was absent for three-quarters of. But it may well have been a happier ending for the Red Devils had they not been forced to do without peak-Roy Keane for the majority of the campaign.

In truth, United coped as well as anyone could expect, initially at least. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side regained top spot within a month of Keane being crocked and they retained their position at the summit until mid-April, by which time they had squandered an 11-point lead to Arsenal, thanks in no small part to winning only five of 13 matches after New Year.

It is hard to imagine Keane accepting United’s standards slipping to the extent they did, no matter how impressive Arsenal were in chasing them down.

 

Eduardo (2007/08)

Arsenal’s position before injury: First, five points clear.
Arsenal’s final position: Third, four points off first.

“We were affected as much as Arsenal were and it was without doubt a factor in both our seasons,” said Alex McLeish in June 2008, one month after comfortably guiding Birmingham to Premier League relegation. The Scotsman was half-right: the Blues picked up 12 points from 11 after their 2-2 draw with Arsenal the previous February, compared to 23 from 27 before.

McLeish can pretend that Martin Taylor’s infamous leg-breaking challenge on Eduardo nine years ago had a detrimental impact on both sides, but in truth it hurt only Arsenal. They entered St Andrew’s five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and left a shadow of the team threatening to end their four-year title wait.

Having lost just one Premier League game of 26 before their fateful February visit to the West Midlands, Arsenal drew their next three league matches before losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. One further defeat to Manchester United, as well as a Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands…

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