Arsenal stole a minor march on their Premier League title rivals at the weekend with an emphatic, statement 4-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday. Manchester City and Aston Villa, placed second and third in the table, respectively, both played on Sunday, and neither was able to keep pace with Mikel Arteta’s side.
First up, Villa suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Brentford. Unai Emery’s Villans bossed the game to a large extent, but couldn’t take their chances. Brentford, meanwhile, only mustered two shots on target, but scored one of them, and it proved enough to dent Villa’s title ambitions.
Manchester City, meanwhile, also experienced a frustrating and disappointing afternoon as they were held to a 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Things looked to be going swimmingly for Pep Guardiola’s men, and they were 2-0 up at the break after goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo. However, despite looking lacklustre in the opening period, Spurs battled back in the second half to earn a point.
Those results left Arsenal six points clear at the top of the table on 53 points, with Man City on 47, and Aston Villa on 46. Manchester United have an outside chance of forcing their way into the title mix after three straight wins under new caretaker boss Michael Carrick, and they have 41 points so far.
Arsenal Upcoming Premier League Fixtures
- Saturday 7th February – Arsenal vs Sunderland
- Thursday 12th February – Brentford vs Arsenal
- Wednesday 18th February – Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Arsenal
- Sunday 22nd February – Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal
Although there are “no easy games” in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta will certainly feel that the four league matches his side faces in February are not too bad. Okay, Sunderland and Brentford are both in the top 10 at present, and Sunderland caused the Gunners problems when the sides drew 2-2 at the Stadium of Light in November. But, all things considered, Arteta’s men would be disappointed to come through that quartet with anything less than four victories on the board.
Arsenal also have an FA Cup match against Wigan Athletic on 15th February. But that should afford Arteta the opportunity to rest a few first-team regulars and still progress in that competition without too much trouble. Having topped the league phase table of the Champions League, the Gunners don’t need to concern themselves with the play-offs in Europe and won’t be back in action until the Round of 16 on 10th/11th March. By then, if the north Londoners maintain their form, they could be even further clear of their rivals at the top of the Premier League table. But let’s take a look at how the Gunners’ February fixtures compare to those in store for Man City, Aston Villa, and Man United.
Upcoming Premier League Fixtures – Title Contenders
| Dates | Arsenal | Man City | Aston Villa | Man United |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th-8th Feb | Sunderland (H) | Liverpool (A) | Bournemouth (A) | Tottenham (H) |
| 10th-12th Feb | Brentford (A) | Fulham (H) | Brighton (H) | West Ham (A) |
| 18th Feb | Wolves (A) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 21st-23rd Feb | Tottenham (A) | Newcastle (H) | Leeds (H) | Everton (A) |
| 27th Feb-1st Mar | Chelsea (H) | Leeds (A) | Wolves (A) | Crystal Palace (H) |
It might be a little generous to include Man United in the bracket of title contenders, but under Carrick’s short tenure, they’ve certainly been on the up. Note that Arsenal’s trip to Wolves is a rescheduled fixture because Arteta’s side progressed to the EFL Cup final, but that shouldn’t pose any serious difficulties given the bottom side’s woes this term.
Having stated that Arsenal’s fixtures look relatively kind, the same has to be said of Aston Villa’s. They also face a trip to bottom-of-the-table Wolves, and host Leeds and Brighton, neither of whom have been particularly consistent. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are wholly unpredictable, but have gone four games unbeaten at the time of writing, so a trip to the south coast might not be all that easy for Unai Emery’s side.
Pep Guardiola’s Man City have a tough game up next, away at Liverpool. Despite Arne Slot’s men not living up to their champions’ billing so far, they are always a dangerous proposition at Anfield, and they won’t roll over for City. Manchester United have great potential to extend their winning run with Spurs at home, followed by 18th-place West Ham away. Time will tell whether Carrick can propel his team even higher up the table.
Can Arteta’s Men Grab an Unassailable Lead in the Title Race?
The nature of Premier League football suggests that things don’t always pan out exactly as expected. In theory, Arsenal should ease through their February fixtures while piling on the points. The sting in the tail might be their opening match in March, against Chelsea. But there’s every chance Arteta and co will be at least nine points clear at the top of the table by then, giving them a little leeway. The return to fitness of Kai Havertz could prove pivotal, as will their squad depth in general. In short, if Arsenal rise to the occasion and win all their league matches in February, it will be their title to lose.