Arsenal suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat away at Chelsea last weekend to all but end their quest for the Premier League title.

Arsene Wenger’s men were nine points behind going into the clash at Stamford Bridge, and 90 minutes later they left West London 12 points adrift after goals from Marcos Alonso, Eden Hazard, and Cesc Fabregas secured a comfortable win for Antonio Conte’s side.

It meant that Arsenal slipped to the all too familiar positon of fourth after a second successive league defeat, and now means that they’ll have a battle on to finish in the top four for a 21st consecutive season.

The Gunners are just a point ahead of Liverpool in fifth, who themselves are only a point clear of Manchester United in sixth, so Wenger’s side will know that they’ll have to be at their best over the next 14 Premier League games to ensure Champions League qualification once again.

However, Arsenal will feel confident of securing a top four finish based on their recent history, and here are THREE reasons why they will indeed finish in the Champions League places in May…

Goals in the team

Arsenal are the joint highest goal-scorers in the Premier League this season with 52, and in Alexis Sanchez they have one of the best forwards in the division.

The Chilean international has scored 15 goals and laid on eight assists in just 24 league appearances this term, and has contributed a goal or an assist in all but two of his last 12 Premier League games.

Add in the fact that Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil are having decent seasons, having netted 13 goals and laid on six assists between them, as well as the decent form of Alex Iwobi and striker Olivier Giroud, and Arsenal have goals in the team.

There are still a few question marks over their defensive capabilities, but so long as they continue to carry a goal-threat, they’ll win enough games to finish in the top four once again.

Players in key areas set to return

Wenger had to field Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Francis Coquelin in the centre of midfield against Chelsea last weekend, and both men struggled against the formidable N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.

However, Mohamed Elneny is back at the club after his African Cup of Nations campaign with Egypt, where he helped his country reach the final, while Grant Xhaka will come back into the fold at the start of March when he’s finished serving his four-match suspension for his red card against Burnley.

Add in that Theo Walcott is returning from injury and looking sharp, as well as a return to the first team for Danny Welbeck, and the Gunners are getting players back in key areas on the pitch.

You can never have too many forward options, so welcoming both Welbeck and Walcott back can only be good for competition, while Elneny and Xhaka give the midfield some much needed steel over the coming months.

Know-how under Wenger

Wenger has never failed to finish in the Premier League’s top four since he took over the reins at Arsenal back in 1996.

Add in that their recent seasons seem to take a similar route, and that’s why you shouldn’t back against the Gunners qualifying for the Champions League once again this term.

The past few years have seen Wenger’s men get themselves into position after a solid first half of the season, only to tail away come the New Year, where they usually exit the Champions League, and see their season take a turn for the worse in a two or three week period.

Two defeats in the league to Watford and Chelsea in the week or two suggests that it might happen again.

With Chelsea so far ahead this time round, the title is already out of the question, but Wenger’s, and indeed the squad’s, know-how in getting into the top four will surely help them secure another Champions League berth next season.