A good result against Liverpool might set up Arsenal for the rest of the season perfectly
We are more than halfway across the international break and the Arsenal players will certainly have one look over their shoulder for their blockbuster weekend clash against Liverpool.
Given Liverpool are five points off the top four with nine games to play, Jurgen Klopp will be scratching his hair out to find solutions. It is a game where Arsenal have almost nothing to lose, while Liverpool have everything on the line.
It is a big if, but if Mikel Arteta continues his fine form against the Liverpool manager, then it might turn the wind into the direction of Arsenal’s sail.
After the game against the Merseyside club, Arsenal only play against a higher-placed team in the league on two occasions. While a game against Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea on 13th May will make the Arsenal faithful less optimistic, they can get their hopes raised up for the end of the April clash against Everton.
The Gunners, in the current climate, boast of an almost fully fit squad, which gives Mikel Arteta a huge opportunity to chop and change according to his liking. The North London outfit play Sheffield United and Fulham after their two Europa League quarterfinal matches against Czech side Slavia Prague.
If the London side advance to the next round, they will come up against Newcastle United, who have been awful this season, after the first leg. And then against West Bromwich Albion, who look destined for relegation, after the second leg.
It appears like the heaven is calling out for the Gunners to at least get into the final of the Europa League, with how the fixtures have been placed on the platter.
To put Arsenal’s favourable run-in into more context, Manchester United play Tottenham in between their quarterfinal tie against Spanish side Granada. If they advance, they will face Liverpool in between of their semi-final draws, and Aston Villa after the second leg.
But we all know there is no stress-free day in the lives of an Arsenal fan. This club is capable of doing anything. Remember when Arsenal were eight minutes from going out against Wigan Athletic in the semifinal of the FA Cup in 2014 and also went two-down against Hull City in the final, after being handed a “favourable fixture list?”
On the other hand, I don’t think even the most optimistic Gooners would have predicted that Arsenal will lift the FA Cup in Arteta’s first season in-charge. This club almost finished below Burnley and Sheffield United (Both teams lost on the final day last season while Arsenal won) in 10th last season and then went onto beating the likes of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and then Chelsea? Surreal!
Even though this article got a bit ahead of itself, everything which has been mentioned is not beyond the realms of possibility and Arsenal fans should be aware of it.
How Manchester United rescued their season last year has been well documented.
It might be Arsenal’s turn this year, whether they qualify for Europe’s elite competition by finishing in the top four or by winning the Europa League.
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How do you think the next two months will pan out for Arsenal?
Yash Bisht