Defeat in the North London derby had a familiar sting for Arsenal fans on Saturday.
The Gunners have struggled to overcome their local rivals on the road in recent years and Harry Kane once again proved the thorn in their side with the winning goal. It seems the north London club simply can't put a consistent run together in the Premier League.
Before last season, the club could at least take pride in their consistent finishes in the top four - an achievement once lamented as the bear minimum but now sorely missed.
Their chances of returning to the Champions League by conventional means were made all the more difficult last night when Chelsea stepped onto the road to recovery with a 3-0 win over West Brom.
Consecutive defeats to Bournemouth and Watford had applied the brakes on the Blues' season and given Arsenal hopes of usurping their London rivals. Victory for Chelsea and, in turn, defeat for the Gunners sets the deficit at an unhealthy eight points.
Thierry Henry and Ian Wright reach the same conclusion
It led to Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Ian Wright reaching the exact same conclusion about Arsenal's season and it's a bitter pill to swallow for Gooners.
Writing in his column for The Sun, Wright penned: "The competition they [Arsenal] really MUST win is the Europa League. This could be Arsene Wenger’s only route back into the Champions League.
"Fourth spot in the Premier League now looks impossible for Wenger. Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Spurs pretty much ended any hopes.
"To close a seven-point gap with an inferior goal difference — and just 11 games left to play — would be an incredible achievement.
"Also, when you consider the defensive errors that keep happening, I cannot see Arsenal avoiding defeat."
It was a viewpoint that resonated with Henry who made the exact same point on Monday Night Football, pointing Arsenal in the direction of Manchester United's path last season.
Arsenal should follow in Manchester United's footsteps
The Frenchman assented: “Realistically, the competition that they can achieve at the minute, well it’s not a competition finishing in the top four, but what they can achieve the most I think is winning the Europa League.
“I see that more happening than them finishing in the top four. Something incredible might happen but it’s unlikely for it to happen."
Henry is probably doing his club a favour by branding their hopes as 'unlikely' as opposed to Wright's damning citation of impossibility.
When you consider that Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund take residence in the Europa League now, though, Arsenal have no easy journey whichever path they choose.
Do you think Arsenal should focus on the Europa League now? Have your say in the comments section below.