TalkSPORT host Laura Woods has put Arsenal's title bid into perspective following her side's dramatic 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.
In what proved a pulsating 90 minutes, The Gunners gave up a 2-0 lead and in a frantic finale, were left indebted to keeper Aaron Ramsdale, who made two late saves to salvage a point. It leaves Mikel Arteta's men six points clear of Man City, but the champions still have a game in hand and are yet to host their rivals at The Etihad.
Arsenal's unlikely challenge initially took pundits and fans alike by surprise, but the notion of not winning a first Premier League title since the 2003/04 'invincible' season would undoubtedly represent disappointment. But reacting to a discussion between colleagues Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent as to whether a second place finish would represent 'failure', the popular Woods staunchly defended her team.
“Of course I will be disappointed, massively disappointed, but they [ Arsenal ] were supposed to fail every minute, after the first few games, and at Christmas,” she told talkSPORT Breakfast on Tuesday, which she presented alongside ex-Arsenal stalwart Ray Parlour. “Come the New Year, Arsenal were supposed to fall away and they haven’t. They have proved everyone wrong.
“I don’t like these kind of binary arguments about if you win the league or if is a failure. I think there is so much more you can celebrate in football, so for me, no."
Woods, renowned as one of the most accomplished sports presenters in the business, also insisted that the 2022/23 campaign would linger long in her memory, regardless of the outcome: “If you’re asking me as an Arsenal fan, do I remember the 2022/23 season, I will say yes, it was amazing.
“And yes, we missed out on the league, if Arsenal lost it for example, but I had some amazing memories from that season. As an individual, if you’re asking a fan, if it is a failure, some will say no, but others may say yes.”
Parlour, who played 466 times for the club and won three titles of his own with them, agreed with his co-host: "At the start of the season I would have said fourth place is a great season for Arsenal," he said. " Champions League football was the most important thing.
"I didn't expect, what is it now April 11, to be six points clear. It's an amazing season so far and the connection with the fans has been superb. Man City could win it now, they're probably favourites after (Arsenal) dropping two points, but what an amazing season."
