English Premier League: Starting this weekend, a 3-week season-defining period for Arsenal

The 2015-16 season will always hold a special place in the hearts of most football fans around the world as Leicester City smashed through the proverbial glass ceiling and wrested the Premier League title from the stranglehold of the EPL’s Big 6.
That season while the Foxes romped to glory, Arsenal came second. This season, however, the Gunners lead the charge for their first EPL crown in 19 years but you can’t help but feel that Arsenal’s campaign has the same echo of the 2015-16 Leicester season.
Just like they did with the Foxes seven years ago, a lot of people are of the opinion that Arsenal will eventually slip from their lofty heights and concede the title to the marauding Manchester City. With 8 points separating the two teams and City having a game in hand, the whispers keep getting louder and louder, falling just short of a cacophony due to the Gunners’ fine run of form.

🎥 It’s time to go Inside Training
Catch up on the latest action from London Colney as we look ahead to Liverpool 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 7, 2023
Incidentally in the next few weeks, Mikel Arteta’s team will have to navigate a perilous path, strewn with deadly challengers along their way to the ultimate glory. If they manage to overcome the period of April 9-April 29 without much of a dent, their title charge will be nearer to its promised land.
Perilous path
In the aforementioned period, Arsenal will have to face Liverpool (April 9), West Ham (April 16), Southampton (April 22), Manchester City (April 27) and Chelsea (April 29). That’s at least three make-or-break matches in 7 days, including the two huge clashes with City and Chelsea falling just 2 days apart from each other.

No look ❌👀Sublime solo 🪄From the spot 👌
Bob’s performance against Arsenal in 2018 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/qENGEbDkx5
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 7, 2023
But the Gunners’ closest title rivals don’t have a walk in the park either as Pep Guardiola’s men have to prepare for a two-legged Champions League quarterfinal clash with German Giants Bayern Munich (April 12 and 20) and a FA Cup semifinal tie with Sheffield United (April 22) before locking horns with the group leaders on April 27. They also have an away fixture to Southampton this weekend and Leicester City on April 10 sandwiched between the two Bayern matches. Even though there’s time to breathe in between their matches, the knockout bouts in Europe and the FA Cup tie will surely leave the side knackered. Arsenal have to capitalize on that when the two sides meet for what might be the final showdown in regards to the Premier League title race.
Anfield test
But first things first. This Sunday, the Gunners will have to travel to Anfield to take on Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and come out unscathed. On paper, if you look at the two teams’ forms coming into the match, it may look like a mismatch with Arsenal on a warpath, demolishing challengers left, right and centre while Liverpool have been blown away 4-1 Manchester City and held to a goalless draw against Chelsea in recent games.
But Arteta will be wary of Liverpool and their form at Anfield with Klopp’s men destroying Manchester United 7-0 on their home turf just last month. Arsenal, who had won the first clash in the Emirates 3-2 will hope to improve on their unenviable away record at Merseyside. In the last 6 games here, Liverpool have always had the better of the Gunners, with Arsenal struggling to penetrate the Red wall.

This time, however, the Gunners are playing on a different level with Gabriel Jesus leading the lines after his brace against Leeds last weekend. Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka will be prowling the two flanks looking to target the out-of-form Trent Alexander Arnold and Andrew Robertson while Martin Odegaard and Grant Xhaka will shore up the midfield.
Meanwhile, Leandro Trossard, who scored a hattrick against the Reds for Brighton in October before his winter transfer to Arsenal, will likely start from the bench.
Even though their defence will be a little wobbly considering the absence of mainstay William Saliba, Arsenal’s blering attack will hope to make up for it.
If Arsenal can eke out three points at Anfield, their title credentials will be bolstered and although it’ll still take a Herculean effort from Arteta’s side to cross the finish line, at least the first labour will be done.