Arsenal's trip to Manchester City on Wednesday ended in a nightmare as the Premier League leaders were thrashed 4-1 by the reigning champions Manchester City, with Guardiola's men now in the driving seat in the title race.
A brace from Kevin de Bruyne and goals from Erling Haaland and John Stones handed the North London giants another huge set-back, stretching the visitors' winless run to four consecutive games.
While Arteta's men remain two points ahead of Manchester City, Haaland and Co. have two games in hand, meaning the Gunners will fall four points behind if Pep's men win their delayed fixtures.
However, while that was the most significant blow following Wednesday's defeat, it isn't the only issue. Missing out on the Premier League title after leading the table for so long is gutting but there are other concerns headed Arsenal's way.
Brighton's loss to Nottingham Forest that same day means that the North London giants have secured UEFA Champions League football for the first time since 2016/17. However, things could be bleak for Saka and Co. in Europe next season.
Winning the Premier League would have secured a spot in Pot 1, meaning Arsenal could have received a favorable draw. However, finishing as runners-up could result in the club dropping to Pot 3 for the group stage.
Pot 1 is reserved for the clubs that win the Champions League, Europa League, and Europe's top six leagues — this would increase to seven if one club from Europe's big six leagues win their domestic championship and one of the aforementioned European trophies.
What about Pot 2? Here is where the coefficient comes into play. Due to Arsenal's six-season absence from the UEFA Champions League, they are currently ranked 23rd by UEFA, with Real Madrid, Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Porto, Juventus, Inter Milan, RB Leipzig, and Manchester United all sitting ahead of Arteta's side.
And with Real Madrid set to miss out on La Liga and facing Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals, they too could drop into Pot 2, meaning Pot 3 is a likely outcome for the Gunners.
This means a Group of Death could await Arsenal in their first season back in Europe's premier competition in years. Despite their blip in form, the English giants remain a tough team. However, this could make next season complicated.
