Gary Neville brilliantly breaks down January mistake that cost Arsenal top four place

• Gary Neville believes Arsenal should have never asked for a rescheduling of the North London derby back in January 2022
• At the time, the Gunners asKed for the game against Spurs to be rescheduled because the club’s squad had been hit with a COVID-19 outbreak
• Arsenal recently honored the fixture, but lost in a crushing 3-0 defeat to Spurs, who look set to secure a Champions League place

Gary Neville has brilliantly broken down why he thinks Arsenal’s decision to postpone the North London derby in January could have potentially cost them a Champions League place.

Mikel Arteta’s side will need a miracle in the final day of the season to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition, after a shock 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday, May 16.

The Gunners are now two points behind Tottenham with one round of fixtures of the season to go, and it is highly unlikely Antonio Conte’s side will slip up again.

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“Cancelling that NLD game has cost Arsenal,” Neville tweeted after Arsenal’s latest predicament.

“They had not recovered at all from Thursday and had this loss been earlier in the season they would have been clear of it.”

Rearranged fixture

Arsenal were set to play Tottenham in the reverse fixture of the North London derby in January, but the game had to be rearranged upon request from Arteta’s camp.

The primary reason Arsenal wanted the game postponed was due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the club.

Months on and the North London derby did happen, and it ended disastrously for Arsenal, who lost 3-0 and ended the game with 10-men.

Had Arsenal defeated Spurs, they would have been on the verge of securing qualification but as it stands, it is their bitter city rivals who have the upper hand.

If the Premier League table is anything to go by, Arsenal need an overhaul of at least 15 goals in their final game against Everton on Sunday May 22, and hope that Tottenham lose or at least draw in their game against relegated Norwich City.

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Arsenal told to sack Arteta

In other news, fierce Arsenal fan Piers Morgan sensationally called on the sacking of Mikel Arteta after defeat to Newcastle.

Through a series of tweets posted by the British journalist in the wake of the Newcastle defeat, Morgan went on to question Arsenal's decision to reward Arteta with a new deal earlier in the season.