Arsenal players in the squad are busy before the match against Bayer Leverkusen (Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)
It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of Arsenal’s season may depend on the team’s next four games, one in each competition they have challenged.
It’s been an exciting season for the Gunners, but there are still signs of concern for Mikel Arteta’s side, who haven’t enjoyed many of their best or best football.
Still, this is an Arsenal side capable of grinding out results and nicking goals from well-worked set-pieces, and that has served them well so far, with the North Londoners seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and preparing for the Carabao Cup final.
They are still in the Champions League and FA Cup, having lost just three games in all competitions all season, but things could change quickly in the next four games. Here’s how…
Saturday: Arsenal vs Everton (Premier League)
Arsenal may be seven points ahead of Man City, but Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand. After the recent setbacks against Brentford and Everton, it is very important for Arsenal to get the three points.
This will look like a winnable game as City face a resurgent West Ham side, so expect the football betting sites to start leaning heavily on the Gunners if results go their way today.
An Arsenal win and a City draw or defeat would seem a long way off for the Sky Blues to come back. At the same time, if AFC slips again, there could be enough of a swing to turn things back in MCFC’s favor.
March 17: Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen (Champions League)
A few days before the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal will have to focus on avoiding an upset against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Arteta’s side were very unsatisfied in the first leg, but escaped with a 1-1 draw thanks to Kai Havertz’s late penalty. If they don’t play much better at the Emirates Stadium, then this Leverkusen team is big enough to surprise.
This Arsenal side is good enough to end the club’s hoodoo in the European Cup, but it’s a fine finish at this level and they’ll need to be on their game even if they have one eye on picking up silverware a few days later.
March 22: Arsenal vs Manchester City (Carabao Cup final)
Needless to say, this is a huge game that not only represents a chance for season one silverware, but pits two title contenders against each other and will likely tell us a lot about who has a strong chance of going on to finish as champion.
Arsenal can certainly do that mental boost against City, even if their record has improved in recent times, with the club still chasing a first trophy since Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020.
If City can come out on top, it will be a huge boost for them to continue their form which saw them defeat Arsenal at the end of the campaign.
April 4: Southampton vs Arsenal (FA Cup)
On paper, this is a good draw in the next round of the FA Cup for Arsenal, but it’s nothing they can take for granted.
If the Gunners end up out of contention for the title, the Champions League, and on the losing side of the Carabao Cup final when this game arrives, it will be crucial to salvage the season by winning the FA Cup.
Southampton look like a good chance, but this is a club with a surprisingly good record against Arsenal in the Premier League, so there will be no room for comfort at St Mary’s Stadium.
