Image: Is this the reason Arsenal’s title challenge has lost all momentum?

It’s been a miserable few days for the Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern, who’ve watched their side all but throw any genuine title challenge away in losses to Everton and Manchester City. 

Despite leading in both games, the Gunners’ lack of mental strength once again cost them dearly as the tides in both fixtures turned quite dramatically.

Some of our north London locals are putting that down to the lack of leadership (a sewing motif of Arsene Wenger’s numerous failed title tilts), though others have put it down to something else.

It seems the importance of signing Shkodran Mustafi over the course of the summer has had a huge impact on the north London side, perhaps beyond expectation.

The World Cup winner arrived from Valencia for around £35m and has settled straight into life at the Emirates, forming a solid partnership with Laurent Koscielny.

The missing link? All four of Arsenal’s defeats this season have come without Shkodran Mustafi. pic.twitter.com/6VyG3MHMMh

— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) December 18, 2016

In fact, all four of Arsenal’s losses this term have come when the 24-year-old hasn’t been playing, meaning the injury he picked up against Stoke City could be the main reason their challenge has lost all its steam.

So, is Mustafi Arsenal’s most important player?