Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes the club will win the Premier League title this season if they can overcome a difficult December period.
Between now and the New Year, Arsenal are set to play seven matches, with six of those being Premier League fixtures.
In their five outings to come, across all competitions, before Boxing Day, the Gunners will take on Luton Town, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, Brighton, and Liverpool. All of those game will test Arsenal, and the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad, in different ways.
The challenge ahead for Mikel Arteta
On Tuesday, the north London club will travel to Kenilworth Road to take on Luton Town. Whilst the newly-promoted side will be huge underdogs for this clash, they will do all they can to frustrate the Gunners. They will sit deep and thrive off of the energy provided by their own fans. If Arsenal fail to break the deadlock early, it could easily become a fraught and nervy affair.
Aston Villa are in inspired form under the watch of former Arsenal boss Unai Emery. At the time of writing, the Midlands outfit are fourth in the Premier League table. They will welcome the Gunners to Villa Park, determined to show that they are ready to go toe-to-toe with the Premier League title contenders.
Arteta’s side will then have to travel to the Netherlands for the final group stage match of their Champions League campaign. Arteta will likely rotate heavily for this fixture, given his side have already qualified for the knockout rounds of the competition. This will be a great chance for some of the fringe players in the group to make the case that they ought to be considered for more regular game time. Arsenal fans will also be hoping to see Hale End academy gems Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly given a runout for the senior side against PSV.
Brighton will be next on the agenda, and the Seagulls always carry a threat. At their best, they are one of the most devastating attacking sides in the division. They will pose a stern test.
Finally, before Christmas, the Gunners must travel to Anfield to take on fellow title-hopefuls Liverpool. This will likely be the most difficult match in this run, and could have huge ramifications in terms of the title race.
How important is this period for Arsenal?
Previewing this period of time, Paul Merson believes that this run of matches could prove to be a make or break moment for Arsenal. Speaking on Sky Sports, he said, “five games before Boxing Day…if Arsenal get through these, I think Arsenal win the league.”
With only a handful of matches left in 2023, Arsenal will be desperate to end the year on a high. If they could take maximum points from this run, they will head into 2024 in the driving seat in terms of the Premier League title battle.
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