Arsenal's dreams of clinching their first Premier League title in nearly a decade are hanging by a thread after Bukayo Saka's last-minute equaliser against Southampton on Friday evening.
It's been three successive draws for the Gunners and unlike their games against Liverpool and West Ham United, they had to come from behind to secure it, having been 3-1 down at the Emirates Stadium.
An early and unusual error from Aaron Ramsdale inside the opening 30 seconds set the tone for the match before former Arsenal star Theo Walcott doubled the Saints' advantage after just 14 minutes.
Gabriel Martinelli got a quick goal back but it was the visitors who took another two-goal lead through Duje Caleta-Car on the hour mark. Two minutes from time, Martin Odegaard got one back, and then Saka came up trumps in the dying embers to keep their trophy hopes alive.
It was a rather lacklustre outing from the potential champions-elect and one that highlighted the worrying lack of depth across the playing squad – Granit Xhaka was a late and surprise absentee due to illness, which meant there was a rare start for Fabio Vieira to impress.
How has Fabio Vieira done at Arsenal?
But he failed to grasp the opportunity with both hands in what was his 31st appearance of the season, albeit just his third start in the English top-flight, per Transfermarkt.
In his past two starts, Vieira had scored against Brentford and assisted at Wolverhampton Wanderers – both away wins – but back on home turf, he struggled to assert any authority over the Premier League's basement boys as he appeared lightweight and ponderous in possession.
Indeed, he lasted only 57 minutes before Mikel Arteta hooked him for Leandro Trossard, one of many other alternatives that could have started instead. In this time, the Portuguese maestro lost possession nine times from just 36 touches (once every four involvements) and failed to fire either of his two shots on target, via Sofascore.
It was a performance that led Evening Standard journalist Simon Collings to describe the £34m signing as a "passenger," whilst former Aston Villa man Gabby Agbonlahor claimed the attacking midfielder "looked lost" on talkSPORT.
There now has to be question marks as to whether Arsenal needed a player like this, particularly as he does not look up to the physicality of the Premier League and especially when you consider the fact that the side is hugely light in other areas, such as in defence, where the absence of William Saliba has undoubtedly contributed to the Gunners' poor recent form.
When you factor in his £82k-per-week wages, then Vieira has cost Edu Gaspar and co around £38m since his arrival in mid-June; funds that could have provided Arteta with a better quality backup than Rob Holding.
It's perhaps why AFTV and the Football Terrace contributor Le African Gooner has claimed that the former FC Porto dynamo has given "Nicolas Pepe vibes" so far – the Gunners' club-record flop.
FootballTransfers also currently value Vieira in the region of £18m, which is evidently a fraction of what the club splashed out nearly a year ago and is a worrying sign that this has been a disastrous transfer deal thus far.
Of course, at just 22 years of age, the 5 foot 7 ace has plenty of time to get his career back on track – especially at Arsenal – but the early signs certainly aren't encouraging so far.
