Arsenal’s next five Premier League fixtures compared to title rivals

Arsenal slipped to second in the Premier League standings following last weekend’s gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat at surprise package Aston Villa. 

John McGinn’s seventh-minute deadlock-breaker knocked the Gunners down from a four-game winning league streak, allowing Liverpool to sneak from behind and ascend to the top. 

Deploying Mikel Arteta’s tactics of leaving it late to beat his rivals, Jurgen Klopp oversaw a sensational comeback at Selhurst Park as the Reds overhauled a second-half deficit to beat Crystal Palace 2-1. 

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott propelled the Merseyside powerhouse to another come-from-behind triumph and, more importantly, the table’s summit. 

Arsenal failed to find a soft landing in midweek Champions League action as Arteta’s second-string line-up drew 1-1 at PSV Eindhoven en route to confirming a top-place finish in Group B.

With the business end of the calendar year around the corner, we delve into the north London outfit’s five upcoming Premier League fixtures and compare them to other top-four tenants. 

Arsenal

Brighton & Hove Albion (H) – Sunday, December 17

Fights on multiple fronts have taken their toll on Brighton as Roberto De Zerbi’s injury-plagued squad slid to eighth in the Premier League table after just two wins in their last ten league outings (D5, L3).

However, Arteta knows better than to underestimate his Seagulls counterpart, having been run over 3-0 in this corresponding fixture last term.

Liverpool (A) – Saturday, December 23

Another match-up that severely damaged Arsenal’s title pursuit in 2022/23 falls on December 23 as the Gunners head to Anfield to take on table-topping Liverpool.

Despite boasting a two-goal cushion inside the opening half an hour, the London heavyweights drew 2-2 in April, which proved the beginning of the end for their title aspirations. 

It was also Arsenal’s best chance of halting a long-standing Anfield hoodoo, leaving them winless on their last ten top-flight visits to this venue. 

Posting a first Premier League victory in Liverpool’s backyard since 2012 could be a catalyst to inspire Arteta’s team to a long-overdue title this season.

West Ham United (H) – Thursday, December 28

An all-London showdown against West Ham United at the Emirates Stadium marks Arsenal’s last Premier League home game of 2023. 

Keen to sign off in style, the Gunners can draw confidence from their formidable streak of seven consecutive home league wins against this opposition. 

But after slumping to a 3-1 League Cup defeat at the London Stadium in November, they’ll be well-advised to approach this match with cautious optimism.

Fulham (A) – Sunday, December 31

Ending an impressive 2023 with a win in another Premier League London derby would be a fitting way to drop the curtain on a transformative calendar year.

Arsenal have made a habit of putting Fulham to the sword since a 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage in January 2012, racking up eight triumphs in their subsequent 11 league encounters (D3).

Leandro Trossard’s hat-trick of first-half assists laid the groundwork for the Gunners’ overwhelming 3-0 victory in this fixture last term.

Crystal Palace (H) – Saturday, January 20

To kick off a new calendar year in the Premier League, Arsenal travel across the capital to meet bottom-half strugglers Palace on the other side of the winter break.

Martin Odegaard’s second-half penalty inspired the Gunners to a narrow 1-0 win in the reverse fixture in August, extending their winning league run against the Eagles to three games. 

Anything less than another success against Roy Hodgson’s underperformers would be a surprise. 

Manchester City

Luton Town (A) – December 10

Crystal Palace (H) – December 16

Everton (A) – December 27

Sheffield United (H) – December 30

Newcastle United (A) – January 13

Liverpool

Manchester United (H) – December 17

Arsenal (H) – December 23

Burnley (A) – December 26

Newcastle United (H) – January 1

Bournemouth (A) – January 21

Aston Villa

Brentford (A) – December 17

Sheffield United (H) – December 22

Manchester United (A) – December 26

Burnley (H) – December 30

Everton (A) – January 14