Arsene Wenger will never change his footballing philosophy, but his Arsenal side are in danger of tripping themselves up with their own fancy footwork.

For the second season running English football’s accepted top four is coming under threat. There are plenty of fans who will be hoping for some cracks in the established order.

Last season Arsenal left it until the final weekend to snatch fourth place from rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a source of great amusement for the red half of north London. This season it is Arsenal again who look vulnerable.

Out of Europe and the domestic cups, they have lost their last three league games and stand just two points above fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers. Defeat at Newcastle on Monday and a Bolton win at home to Everton would see them slip out of the top four and the Champions League places.

Everton did break into top four in 2005, but only to lose in the Champions League qualifiers and there has been a monotony about England’s representatives in Europe’s top club competition.

Bolton’s brand of football may lack Arsenal finesse, but as the Gunners wasted their 30th goal attempt against West Ham on Saturday, groaning fans in the Emirates may just have yearned for a big old fashioned ugly centre forward to knee one in.

Martyn Herman is a Reuters sports correspondent based in London