-Credit:James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Liverpool saw its gap at the top of the table slip to just four points during the latest round of Premier League fixtures, in what was an excellent round of midweek matches for Arsenal.
While gaining some ground back on the leaders, Mikel Arteta’s side were among just two of the top six that recorded victories. After a little wobble of late, particularly in the cups, Arsenal put in a confident and dominant performance against Tottenham Hotspur and extended its unbeaten run in the Premier League to 11 matches.
If anyone is going to catch Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, it seems certain to be Arsenal. Therefore, the Reds will be watching on and hoping to see the Gunners slip up enough times between now and the end of the season that there won’t be any drama in the final months of the season. With that in mind, we’ve picked out five matches where Arsenal could drop points between now and the finale on 25 May.
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Aston Villa (H) – 18 January
This weekend is a good place to start. Villa did the double over Arsenal last season and has won seven of the last 10 in all competitions. Unai Emery has also lost just twice in his previous eight meetings against his former club.
Man City (H) – 2 February
Arteta has really struggled against his former mentor Pep Guardiola and has recorded a lower points-per-game ratio against Manchester City than any other side. He won’t be alone in that stat, but Arsenal’s penchant for coming unstuck against City has cost the side in previous title run-ins. Despite being unbeaten in four against the reigning champions, Arteta has only beaten City once in the league from nine previous attempts.
Everton (A) – 5 April
Could Liverpool’s favours do it a favor? Possibly. Arteta has won just five of his 10 matches against his former club and had lost at Goodison Park three years in a row before a 1-0 win last season. By April, David Moyes should have got the team playing as he wants and a trip to Everton could be a tough match.
Liverpool v Arsenal is set to be a huge match in the Premier League title race. -Credit:Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool (A) – 10 May
It goes without saying, visiting Anfield is a huge test for any side now. But two weeks out from the end of the season and Liverpool could be on the verge of claiming the title. It feels like a game Arsenal will most likely have to win if it’s to claim top spot. But Arsenal hasn’t won a game at Anfield in 90 minutes since 2012, so it will be a tall order for Arteta’s side.
Newcastle (H) – 18 May
The Magpies have been one of the most in-form sides over recent months and were the last team to beat Arsenal in the league. Newcastle also won the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final last week and has beaten Arsenal in three of the last four meetings. The Gunners host Eddie Howe’s side in the final home match of the season and it could be a dramatic afternoon if Arsenal is still in the title race.