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LONDON. — Arsenal have three games in hand over top four English Premiership football rivals Manchester United — but they’re far from easy.
The Gunners leapfrogged the Red Devils into fourth on Sunday, despite having played three games fewer.
There’s no doubt it’s put them in a strong position to finish above the Red Devils, with even Roy Keane backing them to do so.
Gooners have also been feeling giddy at the prospect of a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017.
But while Arsenal have three extra fixtures to play, the calibre of opponents means they could struggle to pick up a single point.
The first of these bonus games is on March 16, when they welcome title-chasing Liverpool to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s side were battered 4-0 at Anfield in the corresponding fixture.
They also lost 2-0 on aggregate to the Reds in the League Cup semi-finals in January.
Arsenal’s other two games in hand are yet to be scheduled by the English Premier League.
One of them is against third-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by their Romelu Lukaku-inspired counterparts back in August.
Arsenal’s final game in hand is against bitter rivals Spurs at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The match is set to be spicy affair, after the Gunners refused to show up for the clash when it was originally scheduled for January due to one Covid case within their squad.
Spurs released a damning statement slamming their neighbours after the fiasco.
Antonio Conte’s side themselves are still in the top four mix, sitting three points behind the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side put themselves firmly into the driving seat for a top four finish after their 3-2 win over Watford on Sunday.
Goals from Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli meant that all three points were taken back to the Emirates, moving the Gunners up to fourth in the league ahead of Manchester United.
Arteta’s men leapfrogged the Red Devils by one point, though they also have three games in hand over them too that could extend that gap if they take advantage.
Despite the games in hand, the Spaniard refused to be drawn into a conversation about finishing in the top four after the win.
He said: “To be fair, I don’t like to look at the table a lot because we have games in hand, we’re going to play different fixtures and I know the objective and it’s only one, to try and improve tomorrow on what we’ve done today and go into the next match and that’s it.
“I cannot control results and I cannot predict which matches we are going to win, draw or lose, it’s impossible. If I start to do that I think we’re going to lose focus in what we want to do.”
With that being said, here’s a look at the Gunners’ next five fixtures compared to their rivals in the race for the top four.
Leicester City (H) — March 13
Next up for Arsenal is Leicester City next Sunday at the Emirates. While the Foxes have struggled this season, currently sitting in 12th, they have started to find some form again with two wins in their last two league games.
The return of Jamie Vardy for Brendan Rodgers is a huge boost and he could cause some troubles for the Gunners’ backline if given the chance.
Liverpool (H) — March 16
The second of two big home games on the bounce for Arteta’s side comes in the form of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team.
The Reds will be desperate to win, with the game being their one game in hand over Manchester City in the league, which could close the gap at the top to just three points.
Klopp has guided his team to five wins in their last five league games and recently won the Carabao Cup over Chelsea.
If Arsenal can replicate the first-leg of their league cup meeting though, there may be something in the game for them.
Aston Villa (A) — March 19
An old foe of Arsenal’s returns as the Gunners face Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.
The Villains have been indifferent in their form, winning twice, losing twice and drawing once in their last five.
A 4-0 win over Southampton in their last game could provide a warning of just what they’re capable of, with former Liverpool and Barcelona playmaker Phillippe Coutinho finding some form too. — The Sun
Online Reporter