The “you need luck to win a title” mantra feels an apt description of Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday, grabbing a late winner through Leandro Trossard and surviving a late VAR scare to maintain their gap at the top of the Premier League.
After 20 minutes, it looked like all was going to plan, with nine shots on the board, Myles Lewis-Skelly running the midfield and Riccardo Calafriori roaming to create an extra option across the pitch.
But an injury to Ben White derailed Arteta’s plan, moving Declan Rice to right back and losing control in the middle of the pitch.
White has since been ruled out for the rest of the season, and with speculation over his future, it could have been his last game for the club.
White is one of many players who have given their all to Arteta and Arsenal’s rebuild over the past five to six years and if the club do go on to silverware this season, he’s among the most deserving for his role in the turnaround.
Arteta got it wrong moving Rice to right back to bring on Martin Zubimendi, but deserves huge credit for his second-half substitutes, taking the midfielder off when the game dynamics changed in favour of more attacking options, who ultimately helped make the difference.
One of those players was Martin Ødegaard, who had a brilliant cameo and delivered the game-winning assist for Trossard.
It’s easy to forget that Mikel Arteta is only 44 and in his first managerial job, but his decision-making to bring Lewis-Skelly into midfield in recent weeks and to make the brave subs he did against West Ham show the growth he’s had with this team.
It’s also easy to forget the impact that players like Ødegaard can have in these big moments when they’ve spent so long on the sidelines and struggling for form. Likewise, it was Trossard’s first goal of 2026, and what a moment for it.
A big squad is one of Arsenal’s biggest strengths and leading on that, mixed with a bit of luck, is a huge reason they are three games away from a historic double.
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