Arsenal should draw inspiration from the disappointments suffered by the 2003-04 Invincibles as they seek to reignite their Premier League title charge, Gunners legend Ray Parlour has told Sports Mole.
Mikel Arteta's men were fighting for glory on four fronts at the turn of the year, but they now only have realistic chances of winning two trophies after a pair of gut-wrenching knockout defeats on home soil.
Arsenal's FA Cup run ended at the first hurdle with a penalty-shootout defeat to 10-man Manchester United at the weekend, prior to which they were defeated 2-0 by Newcastle United in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
However, the 2003-04 title-winning team - which Parlour was a part of - were knocked out of the FA Cup on April 3 (to Man United) and the Champions League on April 6 (to Chelsea), before a rejuvenating 4-2 Premier League win over Liverpool at Highbury on April 9.
Ahead of the visit of North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, Parlour has given Arsenal a vote of confidence to bounce back in similar fashion, saying: "It's disappointing. It could have gone either way the other night (against Man United). Havertz had a couple of great chances, and if we'd won 2-1 or 3-1, it wouldn't have been an unfair result, probably.
Parlour: 'Everything was going wrong before Liverpool win'
"But fair play to Man United just to stay in the game. It has been a disappointing week, there's no doubt about that, and I can go back to when I played 2004, when we lost in the Champions League, Wayne Bridge, and then we lost in the FA Cup, and it was all going wrong for us.
"And suddenly that result against Liverpool, 4-2 at Highbury, was such a big game for us because everything was going wrong, and you've got to try and bounce back quickly, so that's how Arsenal have got to look at it now.
"You can't look back. I know it's a disappointing week - they'd be absolutely gutted that they're out of the FA Cup because that's always a great competition to stay in, and obviously Arsenal have got the record - but that's football, and you can't look back. You've always got to look forward."
Arsenal - who have also lost Gabriel Jesus to a season-ending ACL injury - come into the tantalising derby having been bumped down to third in the Premier League table thanks to Nottingham Forest and Liverpool's 1-1 draw on Tuesday, although that might have arguably been the best outcome for the Gunners.
Victory in midweek will see them go two points above Forest on the same number of matches while also reducing the deficit to Liverpool to four points, although Arne Slot's men will still have a game in hand.
Parlour highlights "brilliant" Arsenal home record
© Imago
Even though Arsenal have been slain twice at the Emirates in knockout action this month, they are the only team not to lose a single home game in the Premier League this season, and Parlour has implored the Gunners to focus purely on their own matters ahead of the North London derby and Saturday's visit of Aston Villa.
"It's two massive games now," the 51-year-old added. "Two home games - their home record is brilliant in the Premier League, they haven't lost a game yet at home - so it all goes their way in being at the Emirates, but certainly, you've got to bounce back.
"You can't look back. You're still in the Newcastle game - I'd be amazed if they do get through that now with St James' Park, which is a really tough place to play - but Tottenham and Aston Villa coming up, they're massive games now, and I've always said, you've just got to worry about yourselves.
"Don't look at Liverpool, don't worry about other teams around you. You've just got to worry about yourselves and make sure you put a performance in that gets three points, and then you can look at the other results and say, 'Forest got a point off Liverpool', and then that gives you a little bit of a confidence boost as well. But just worry about yourselves before going into games."
Parlour won 12 major trophies during an illustrious 13-year senior career with Arsenal, whom he scored 32 goals in 466 appearances for between 1991 and 2004.
Ray Parlour was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of NetBet Sports Betting.
Ben Knapton
