Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has conceded that the Premier League title is slipping "further out of our hands", but insists that Arsenal will continue to fight until the end.
The Gunners now find themselves 12 points off the pace following Saturday's 3-1 loss to leaders Chelsea, leaving many supporters to call for manager Arsene Wenger's head.
A 13th season without top-flight silverware now appears a certainty as far as Arsenal are concerned, but midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain has urged his teammates to continue battling until it becomes mathematically impossible to overhaul Chelsea.
"It's slipped further out of our hands and there's no hiding from that now," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying.
"The gap is much bigger and it's going to be hard. But we play for Arsenal football club; if we don't go until the end, we don't deserve to be here. We've got to keep doing that.
"At the top level, against a team like Chelsea, there's a good chance they'll punish you if you make mistakes and they did that.
That was disappointing. Then a mistake at the end killed the game for us. Olivier Giroud got one back but at the end it was too late."
Arsenal, who will end the weekend fourth in the table, have now lost four of their last nine Premier League games.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to start in central midfield for Arsenal against Chelsea on Saturday after Aaron Ramsey was ruled out with a calf injury.
The 23-year-old is predominantly a winger but he has repeatedly stated a preference for playing in the middle and manager Arsene Wenger has long since suggested that is where his future could lie.
Oxlade-Chamberlain operated in a central role in last Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round win at Southampton and again as a substitute for Ramsey in Tuesday night’s defeat to Watford.
Ramsey limped off after just 19 minutes and Arsenal fear he could be sidelined for at least a fortnight.
The Gunners have few other midfield options with Mohamed Elneny away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Granit Xhaka suspended, Santi Cazorla injured and Jack Wilshere on loan at Bournemouth.
Meanwhile, the club have dismissed one report this morning suggesting Wenger gave his players today and yesterday off after the Watford defeat.
The training schedule was set at the start of the week and not altered in response to the result.
Chelsea are aiming to kill off any lingering Premier League title hopes Arsenal have when the London rivals meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Antonio Conte's Blues dropped two points with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday night, but Arsenal's shock 2-1 home defeat to Watford - coupled with Tottenham's Sunderland stalemate - meant Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the table to nine points.
Chelsea increase take their advantage on Arsenal to 12 points with a win in Saturday's early kick-off, and the Gunners are up against it with Arsene Wenger's touchline ban and midfield injury problems mounting.
While a win would by no means seal the title for Chelsea as early as February, a victory for Arsenal would give the Gunners - and the rest of the chasing pack - hope that Conte's men can be caught.
TEAM NEWS
David Luiz admitted after Chelsea's draw at Liverpool that he has been carrying a knee injury which means he cannot train every day, though the Brazilian still turned in an impressive display at Anfield with a superb free-kick goal.
Conte has no further injury concerns for Saturday's clash with Arsenal, although the Italian coach may privately be concerned with Eden Hazard's lacklustre displays of late, as well as a below-par performance from Victor Moses at Anfield.
Arsenal have midfield injury problems for the trip across London, with Aaron Ramsey a major doubt after coming off against Watford after just 20 minutes with a calf strain.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been used in central midfield with Wenger's options limited of late, though he himself was limping towards the end of the Emirates defeat on Tuesday. However, Wenger has confirmed the England international should be fit - a boost considering Santi Cazorla is still out and Mohamed Elneny remains at the African Cup of Nations.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Hazard, Pedro, Costa
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Walcott, Ozil, Sanchez; Welbeck
Arsene Wenger has thrown his backing behind Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and 19-year-old Ainsley Maitland-Niles to solve his midfield crisis at Chelsea.
Wenger goes into Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge with Arsenal’s title hopes on the line and Francis Coquelin his only available senior central midfielder.
Aaron Ramsey limped off with a calf strain in Tuesday’s shock home defeat by Watford, Granit Xhaka is suspended and Mohammed Elneny, carrying another injury, is still at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
Santi Cazorla is a long-term absentee.
So Wenger is forced to find alternatives. Oxlade-Chamberlain, usually a winger, is likely to start in a game where Arsenal must cut the nine-point gap at the top.
Another option identified by Wenger is Maitland-Niles, who spent much of last season as a right back for Ipswich in the Championship.
Up against Antonio Conte’s well-drilled Premier League leaders, the Frenchman’s midfield looks a weak link but he has been impressed with his double-barrelled duo in the central roles of late.
‘Ainsley Maitland-Niles has played a lot on the flanks but I’ve seen qualities in him that tell me he can be useful in the middle and he can also be a defensive specialist,’ Wenger said.
So Wenger is forced to find alternatives. Oxlade-Chamberlain, usually a winger, is likely to start in a game where Arsenal must cut the nine-point gap at the top.
Another option identified by Wenger is Maitland-Niles, who spent much of last season as a right back for Ipswich in the Championship.
Up against Antonio Conte’s well-drilled Premier League leaders, the Frenchman’s midfield looks a weak link but he has been impressed with his double-barrelled duo in the central roles of late.
‘Ainsley Maitland-Niles has played a lot on the flanks but I’ve seen qualities in him that tell me he can be useful in the middle and he can also be a defensive specialist,’ Wenger said.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can have a real influence on the Arsenal team in central midfield, according to Jermaine Jenas.
The England international started alongside Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Jeff Reine-Adelaide in the middle of park in Arsenal’s 5-0 win against Southampton in the FA Cup fourth round at St Mary’s on Saturday evening.
Oxlade-Chamberlain finished with one assist in the first half on the south coast, while the versatile midfielder touched the ball 88 times and finished with pass completion of 91 per cent.
The Arsenal star has struggled to tie down a regular starting spot in Arsene Wenger’s side after starting just eight Premier League games this season and making a further 10 appearances from the bench.
Speaking to BT Sport’s FA Cup Tonight show, former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jenas discussed Oxlade-Chamberlain’s best position in the Arsenal team.
“I just enjoyed watch Oxlade-Chamberlain play in midfield. I said a while ago that’s where I think he is best suited not only for his style of play, but it will keep him away from injuries as well,” Jenas said.
“It’s the explosive style of play on the wing – stop and go. That’s what Theo has struggled with all his life. Alex has started to get hamstring injuries.
If he can try and cement his midfield role, he can have a real influence.”
