Arsenal need to be perfect before Christmas to stay in the title race, so which opponent is most likely to end their hopes of winning the Premier League?
Nine points adrift of table-toppers Liverpool and four away from Manchester City, Arsenal really need to buck their ideas up if they are to mount a sustained challenge for the Premier League title this season.
Mikel Arteta’s misfiring side have already shown signs of mental fatigue after succumbing to Man City in two gruelling title races. Now, their sub-par start to the 2024/25 campaign has left no room for error in the coming weeks.
It is too early for panic stations and sack talk surrounding head coach Mikel Arteta is premature as Arsenal just about remain in the Premier League title race. But they need to get serious swiftly.
Liverpool could easily drop points in a couple of upcoming games as their run of fixtures is particularly wince-inducing, but Arne Slot’s side looks the real deal and are unlikely to give Arsenal much of a helping hand.
As for Man City, well, they are inevitable and the big news regarding Pep Guardiola’s contract would have presumably made their title rivals take a rather large gulp.
While Arsenal will want one player to fix everything, a solution for a missing Rodri is on City’s Christmas wish list as they have looked fragile without the Ballon d’Or winner. Still, you know Guardiola will somehow find a way to ensure his team puts a run together.
Arsenal need to do the same as it feels like they are one bad result away from having their title hopes end. So which of their six upcoming opponents before Christmas could hammer the final nail in their coffin? From least to most likely, here’s our ranking of their six next Premier League foes…
6th) West Ham (A) – November 30
As underwhelming a start to the 2024/25 season as it’s been for Arsenal, at least they are not West Ham.
The ‘winners’ of the summer transfer window made some strong signings on paper, but the appointment of Julen Lopetegui to replace the veteran David Moyes did not fill supporters with optimism as the pragmatic Spaniard is very much like-for-like with his predecessor.
Especially in attack, West Ham have plenty of quality and should be contesting for the European places, but they are currently languishing way below where they could be in 14th.
West Ham’s players have clearly not taken to Lopetegui and they were embarrassingly toothless in defeats to Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.
Their record against the better sides suggests Arsenal shouldn’t have much trouble against their London rivals, who could show Lopetegui – who has reportedly been given two games to save his job – the door before everyone’s started their advent calendars.
READ: Pep Guardiola at Man City: A damning indictment of inferiority for each of the Big Six
5th) Everton (H) – December 14
Another sombre afternoon for West Ham came in their final game before the international break as they were involved in a drab goalless draw against Everton.
Sean Dyche’s side would have been way more pleased with this outcome than West Ham as the plucky Toffees remain three points above the relegation zone.
Everton’s squad is not littered with quality, but the doggedness instilled by Dyche should be enough to ease them over the Premier League safety line again, albeit with a few humbling results along the way.
One such result could come at the Emirates next month, though this could prove a nail-biter if Arteta’s world-class striker-less team are still not firing in front of goal when this game rolls around.
4th) Crystal Palace (A) – December 21
Oliver Glasner’s Palace have been one of this season’s biggest disappointments, but they should gradually move away from the relegation picture as their quality comes to the fore.
Without Michael Olise, the Eagles are a far cry from the side that took the Premier League by storm in the run-in and the test of facing them is not to the level it once was.
The hapless Dr Tottenham helped Palace earn their first Premier League win of the season before the break, but their demoralising 2-0 home loss to Fulham tempered expectations.
Spurs made Palace’s win easier than it needed to be, but a trip to Selhurst Park remains one of the toughest the Premier League has to offer. Arsenal would rightly be pleased to escape with a scrappy win, though they would rather have this game be played now than a few months ago.
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3rd) Nottingham Forest (H) – November 23
Forest have been a breath of fresh air this season and we’re chuffed for Nuno Espirito Santo, who has been enjoying an unexpected managerial renaissance.
It’s always great when a team no-one expected to challenge for Europe suddenly breaks out from the pack and causes a scene. Nuno would be a shoo-in for manager of the season if Forest are still fifth in the Premier League when the season is over, but they should somewhat crash down to earth in the coming weeks and settle in the top half.
This still would constitute a great season and Forest – even after their 3-1 loss to Newcastle before the break – will fancy compounding Arsenal’s misery this weekend.
Arsenal will be glad to be at home as their form on the road is much more concerning, but they would have preferred quite a few other Premier League rivals as an alternative opponent for their first game back.
READ: Arda Guler to Arsenal? Every Premier League club repeats their best signing
2nd) Fulham (A) – December 8
Arsenal supporters may already be coming out in cold sweats ahead of Emile Smith Rowe inevitably scoring the winner in his first game against his boyhood club.
Unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old has shone while being afforded much-needed limelight and has been one of the signings of the season for Fulham, who are continuing to progress under Marco Silva.
The Cottagers have gone about their business without much fanfare but the seventh-placed side can be a match for anyone and this is particularly the case at Craven Cottage.
Arsenal only took one point from their two matches against Fulham last season. Their 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage on New Year’s Eve was a dagger to their title hopes and history could easily repeat itself at the start of next month.
1st) Manchester United (H) – December 4
Ruben Amorim is yet to have his first game as Man Utd’s head coach but we are already giddy about this appointment.
As you’d expect, all of the right noises are coming out of Man Utd following Amorim’s arrival and he has the natural charisma that former boss Erik ten Hag sorely lacked.
Not only that, he also happens to be a superb coach and his players should be accustomed to his system by the time they visit the Emirates in a couple of weeks.
Amorim is already above Arteta in our 2024/25 Premier League manager rankings and the Arsenal boss will be wary of a potential bounce at Man Utd as his side may be caught cold by their great rivals in a massive test for each side.