Arsenal look to be hit by December deja vu – and they need to turn it around or will miss out on the title again, writes ISAAN KHAN

Last year’s December slump is referenced by some Arsenal staff as to why the north London club failed to win the Premier League title in the previous campaign.

It was a period in which the Gunners dropped 11 points across seven matches. Thus far, déjà vu looks to be striking Mikel Arteta’s men — and, if they don’t rectify this downward trajectory by month’s end, a similar autopsy could well be seen in May.

Arsenal have already dropped four points across their three December league matches — against Fulham, and now Everton.

Hiccups are part and parcel of football. A failure to bounce back straight away, though, is the antithesis to winning one of Europe’s most toughest leagues.

It comes into focus when the slip-ups happen against sides you are expected to beat.

That is not to take credit away from Everton. Under Sean Dyche, the Toffees were well-organised across many facets such as set-pieces and defensive organisation.

Mikel Arteta will be wary Arsenal can’t afford to drop many more points in the title race

There were the heroics of Jordan Pickford, too, who made some excellent saves and aerial clearances.

But all this shouldn’t ignore the fact that, with Liverpool storming six points ahead at the top plus a game in hand, dropping too many points even this early on can end the Gunners’s title ambitions.

It clearly wasn’t working on Saturday, Arteta substituting off captain Martin Odegaard on 62 minutes for Ethan Nwaneri to try break the deadlock.

The move reflected Arteta’s desperation. He rarely substitutes Odegaard, unless for injury or fitness-related reasons. It is why he fielded a number of questions on this post-match, where Arteta admitted it was a ‘tactical decision’.

Arsenal have another six league points up for grabs before the New Year. Dropping any more points by then will bring those dour memories of last December back to the fore.