Arsenal, Man City, and Aston Villa Face Crucial Five-Game Gauntlet That Could Define Their Season
Following the completion of gameweek 22, Arsenal have strengthened their position at the summit of the Premier League standings—remarkably achieving this by securing only a single point.
Mikel Arteta's squad—finishing second in the previous three campaigns—are well-positioned as they pursue their first championship since 2004, occupying the top spot with 50 points.
Nevertheless, considerable effort remains ahead. Manchester City and Aston Villa stumbled against Manchester United and Everton respectively, yet they continue to chase closely, both sitting seven points behind Arsenal.
This buffer allows the Gunners some room for error while maintaining their lead, though it's not a gap Arteta will want to depend upon. City remains a constant menace, as they typically do during this period of the campaign, while Villa have been in exceptional form—their 1–0 home defeat to Everton will be particularly disappointing.
As the season reaches a crucial juncture, here's how Arsenal's upcoming five Premier League matches stack up against their two championship rivals.
Arsenal, Man City and Aston Villa's Next Five Premier League Fixtures
Arsenal, Man City and Aston Villa's Next Five Premier League Fixtures
Arsenal (50 points) | Man City (44 points) | Aston Villa (43 points |
|---|---|---|
Arsenal vs. Man Utd (Jan. 25) | Man City vs. Wolves (Jan. 24) | Newcastle vs. Aston Villa (Jan. 25) |
Leeds Utd vs. Arsenal (Jan. 31) | Tottenham vs. Man City (Feb. 1) | Aston Villa vs. Brentford (Feb. 1) |
Arsenal vs. Sunderland (Feb. 7) | Liverpool vs. Man City (Feb. 8) | Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa (Feb. 7) |
Brentford vs. Arsenal (Feb. 12) | Man City vs. Fulham (Feb. 11) | Aston Villa vs. Brighton (Feb. 11) |
Tottenham vs. Arsenal (Feb. 22) | Man City vs. Newcastle (Feb. 21) | Aston Villa vs. Leeds Utd (Feb. 21) |
Examining the upcoming five matches, Aston Villa appears to have the most manageable schedule theoretically.
They do encounter a challenging away fixture at St James' Park against Newcastle United, plus a home clash with Brentford, spearheaded by the impressive Igor Thiago. Nevertheless, given Villa's recent form—eight victories from their past 11 outings—these are matches they should navigate successfully. Their other encounters with Bournemouth, Brighton and Leeds also look favorable on paper, though Unai Emery's team won't underestimate any opponent.
Arsenal confronts a considerably more demanding fixture list. A rejuvenated Manchester United, buoyed by their triumph over Manchester City, arrives at the Emirates next—traditionally a match where current form becomes irrelevant. This precedes a North London derby versus Tottenham Hotspur in late February—another famously unpredictable clash—while facing impressive Sunderland is far from guaranteed.
Manchester City's schedule presents mixed challenges. Pep Guardiola's team must handle two significant away encounters against Tottenham and defending champions Liverpool. Nevertheless, City should be anticipated to secure full points from their remaining three home fixtures against Wolves, Fulham and Newcastle.
Arsenal's present advantage provides them with a substantial buffer over both City and Villa, but the coming month may prove pivotal in determining the Premier League title winner.