If Arsenal loses at Manchester United on Sunday, it will be eight points behind the champions. It may be premature to say Arsenal's Premier League season could be over before the end of August, but overcoming an eight-point deficit to United, even with 35 games remaining, will be difficult going on impossible.
A European catastrophe was avoided with Wednesday's 2-1 victory over Udinese, allowing Arsenal to take its place in the Champions League group stage for the 14th consecutive season. The Gunners are in a tricky group with Borussia Dortmund, Marseille and Olympiakos, though failure to reach the knockout stages would be surprising even for the current unpredictable team.
In reality the victory in Italy changes little. The only reason Arsenal had to take part in a qualifying tie was because it finished fourth last season, when in March it was still in with a loud shout for the title.