Arsenal suffer triple title blow as Mikel Arteta faces fixture congestion amid injury fears

Arsenal knew that the start to their season would involve the most difficult opening five games of the Premier League title-chasers which included of course a trip to the champions Manchester City. Mikel Arteta however was able to start well and even overturn one of the disappointing results of last season with a 2-0 win at Aston Villa.

However, the frustrating and controversial draw with Brighton has also lost the Gunners Declan Rice for the North London Derby, which has only heightened the worry surrounding what the next few weeks could hold. Yet the expansion of the UEFA Champions League has only made the reality even tougher and how the fixtures have fallen across the season for Arteta and his side has brought up three runs of games which might require a miracle to come through unscathed and that will have the club praying to stave off injuries.

Far from a holiday

Away trips are some of the best experiences that football fans can have. Whether it is trying to out-sing the brilliant Crystal Palace supporters at Selhurst Park or experiencing the raw noise of a European night in the Champions League, they are special and should be relished.

However, after this current international break, Arsenal experience a run of three away games which is quite frankly ludicrous in terms of challenge but more so timing. The North London Derby against Tottenham which as mentioned must be fought without midfield talisman Rice and the injured Mikel Merino who is not expected back till mid-to-late October.

Following this is a strange Thursday night in the Champions League in northern Italy as Arsenal travel to Bergamo to play Europa League champions and Gunners-linked forward Ademola Lookman of Atalanta. They will play late on the Thursday, travel back later the same night attempting to get some sleep on the flight before as much as they can at home, recover on the Friday, attempt some light training on Saturday before the next test less than 72 hours after their European excursion… Manchester City.

In just the fifth game of the season, Arsenal will travel to the Etihad Stadium to take on Pep Guardiola’s side who somehow look even more inevitable than in previous campaigns. Erling Haaland is on fire and Arsenal must avoid defeat to see a gap that has already emerged open even wider.

Slot machines and San Siro between

Arne Slot’s Liverpool looked mighty impressive at such an early stage and dealt Arsenal a confidence blow in pre-season as they won out the clash in Philadelphia. Arteta used the Emirates Stadium win over Jurgen Klopp in his last season to propel his side through the final games of the campaign but an October meeting in north London will have dire consequences for the loser on either side.

Then follows a Villa Park-esque revenge sequel as Arsenal look to overturn another contentious defeat from the previous season away to Newcastle United. The infamous was the ball in or not question sparked fury from Arteta in his post-match press conference but he will be hoping his side can get an all-important win that his north London rivals have already failed at this season.

The trip to St. James’ Park begins another challenge of triple-threat away trips ending at Stamford Bridge where Arsenal dropped more points in a shock 2-2 draw last season but between these Premier League games is a visit to San Siro. Inter Milan, arguably Arsenal’s toughest Champions League opponent will be a must-win game as the Gunners look to take three points from one of their main rivals to finishing in the top eight of the league phase.

Run-in with fate

While Arsenal have a tough start to the season, when April comes around their Premier League title run-in is relatively kind up until the final three games of the season. Their antepenultimate game is the annual dread-filled trip to Anfield where Arsenal try to end a run of failed attempts to win there in the league since 2012 when Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla helped Arsenal to a brilliant 2-0 win.

Then the final home game of the season will not be on the final day and so if the Gunners want to lift the trophy at the Emirates Stadium, they will need to put the race to bed before the final game. Newcastle are the opponents in what could be a very meaningful clash for both and when they met in the penultimate game of the 2021/22 season, it did not end the way the Gunners hoped.

Should the title go to the final day an away trip to a side threatened by relegation awaits, Southampton. Not a side you would typically find on a nightmare fixture list but the Saints have a weird hold over Arsenal, especially at St Mary’s and going away from home on the final day needing to win to grab the title would be quite the spectacle.