Arsenal are genuinely being tipped for Premier League relegation - what is going on?

The Gunners slumped to their eighth defeat in the league this season, which is second only to Sheffield United, with a tepid performance at Everton that saw them drop into 16th place.

It's astonishing to think a club that qualified for the Champions League like clockwork just a few seasons ago is now genuinely contemplating a bottom-half finish as their best-case scenario.

Arsenal under pressure

If you think we're being hyperbolic, then we'll kindly refer you to the opinion of the Premier League's greatest ever goalscorer, Alan Shearer, who is refusing to write off Arsenal facing relegation.

When asked if the Gunners will stay up, the Match of the Day pundit replied: "I wouldn't be so sure. Not with that starting team and the attitude of some of those players."

Astonishing. Unless Arsenal get their act together in the weeks to come or experience a new-manager bounce in a world where Mikel Arteta is sacked, then they could be in serious trouble.

Arsenal languishing in 16th

We've seen some pretty big clubs crash out of the Premier League before such as Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Leeds United and West Ham United, but this would be taking the biscuit.

In fact, it's such a mind-blowing scenario that we couldn't help trying to imagine what a world with Arsenal in the Championship would actually look like.

It's impossible to predict the future and, funnily enough, we do actually think Arsenal will survive, but we've still drawn up 15 things we reckon would happen if the Gunners couldn't dodge the drop.

If Arsenal were relegated

Strap yourselves in, Gooners, because we're about to take you into a parallel universe you never thought was possible, so check out the whacky world of a second-tier Arsenal down below:

1. AFTV goes viral with DT smashing a chair in half

DT has already threatened to beat the living daylights out of his chair in the AFTV studio, so we wouldn't be surprised if it was destroyed WWE-style when Arsenal were confirmed as relegated.

2. Rafa Benitez takes the job on an interim basis

Let's face it, Arteta wouldn't be in charge anymore in a world where Arsenal go down, so we're predicting the appointment of Benitez on a one-year contract to hopefully bring them back up.

The former Liverpool and Chelsea boss is one of the favourites to become Arsenal's next manager and he's showed his willingness to coach in the Championship during his Newcastle United days.

3. Matt Ritchie and Ayoze Perez signed

Speaking of which, Arsenal are going to have to lower their transfer standards and we see Benitez revisiting some of his old Toon alumni with a move for Perez being as exciting as things can get.

4. Planned walkouts at the Emirates protesting the board

Gooners would have every right to feel livid if they went crashing down into the second tier, so expect there to be walkouts during home games in whichever numbered minute would hurt Stan Kroenke the most. 

5. Mikel Arteta returns to coach under Pep Guardiola

As much as we think there'd be other offers available to Arteta, perhaps in the mid-table areas of La Liga, we see him returning to the Manchester City fold where he enjoyed so much success alongside Pep Guardiola.

6. Mass exodus of players - Ozil signs for Fenerbahce

Let's face it, Arsenal have some big-name players who won't want fancy Championship football, so expect the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Dani Ceballos and Hector Bellerin to all up sticks.

Ozil is the one player we can be absolutely certain of, though, particularly because Arsenal won't want to be footing his massive wages. You can expect him to move to one of Turkey's biggest clubs.

7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang loaned to Dortmund

On the topic of expensive wages, Aubameyang would prove a massive problem because he likely wouldn't want to play in the Championship, but does feel a certain allegiance to the Gunners.

As a result, being loaned out for as long as Arsenal are in the second tier seems like the most realistic example and I see BVB taking him on to form a partnership with Erling Braut Haaland.

8. Granit Xhaka leaves and gives explosive interview slamming the club

Another player who will be itching to wave goodbye to the Emirates is Xhaka and you can expect him to hold nothing back when he's asked by a tabloid about his time at the club a few months later.

9. Arsenal 'Til I Die documentary

Netflix would be all over this situation like a cheap suit and weirder things have happened than Arsenal agreeing to this all-access programme in the hope of an instant promotion hitting screens.

10. Attendances dip below 20,000 for some mid-week games

This might sound extreme, but with some of their Europa League attendances being touted at around 25,000, you can bet that figure will drop even lower when Coventry City visit on a Tuesday night.

11. Pick up defeats to Rotherham, Luton and Preston

For all their quality, Arsenal would drop points along the way given the gruelling Championship schedule, so expect the likes of Rotherham, Luton and Preston to pick up historic league wins.

12. Win the Championship with over 100 points

That being said, even with players leaving in their droves, Arsenal will comfortably have the strongest team in the division and you can expect them to break Reading's record of 106 points.

If you're scratching your head at that statement after we declared they could drop points to Luton, then recall that there are as many as 144 points available to teams in the Championship.

13. Gabriel Martinelli wins the Golden Boot with over 30 goals

Martinelli will be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of tearing England's second-tier apart and he'd show the world exactly why he's such a talented young striker by outscoring all his rivals.

14. Bukayo Saka crowned Championship Player of the Year

And let's be honest here, Saka would be an absolute baller at a Championship level, so you can expect him to compete as the division's best player with more than 10 goals and 15 assists.

Surely not... right?

I can picture all the rival fans giddily chattering in anticipation right now.

Sadly for the Tottenham supporters of this world, however, it's pretty hard to imagine a scenario where Arsenal genuinely plummet to the second tier as they'll surely do everything in their power to stop it.

That being said, this is a sport where Leicester City won the Premier League, so anything can happen and we reckon these 14 events would if the worst came to worst.