What have the festive fixtures got in store for the Gunners?

                                          Mikel Arteta

What have the festive fixtures got in store for the Gunners?

By Adam Le Roux

After two weeks of pretending to be interested in England demolishing Iceland, and desperately trying to find a stream of Gabon’s match with Gambia to get a glimpse of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on international duty, the Premier League is back with a bang this weekend.

For the Gunners it’s a trip to Elland Road to face Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United in what is set up to be a captivating game of football, with two open sides going head-to-head.

Mikel Arteta will have had two weeks to reflect on where the season has gone wrong, and right, so far, and will be looking to get Arsenal climbing back up the Premier League table as we head into the new year.

With 12 games between now and the start of 2021, it is sure to be a frantic festive period for the Gunners, and it could go some way to defining the season ahead.

Rotten timing for trip to Molde

A victory against Leeds will be pivotal in getting the squad gelling again, after having two weeks to smart over the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates, in which Dean Smith’s side thoroughly outplayed the hosts.

We all know Bielsa will set his side up to play expansive football, but if the Gunners perform as they did at Old Trafford at the start of the month the three points will be there for the taking in Yorkshire.

After a midweek clash with Norwegian champions Molde in the Europa League, where Arsenal could all but wrap up qualification from the group stages, they face another testing weekend, as Wolves travel to the Emirates.

Following a midweek excursion to Scandinavia, a battle with Nuno Espirito Santo’s dynamic free-flowing side will be an energy-sapping affair, with both sides looking to gain ground on the top four.

December starts with derby day

It’s the first fixture Arsenal fans look for at the start of every season, and this year the first North London derby of the season will be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the first weekend of December.

With a match against Rapid Vienna on the Thursday before, Arteta will no doubt play a weakened side against the Austrians, leaving his troops firing fit ahead of the showdown with Jose Mourinho’s Spurs.

They might not want to admit it, but Arsenal fans will be looking at their rivals with envy at the moment, as they sit second in the Premier League table, just a point off of Leicester City in top spot. 

Tomas Rosicky

But they will love nothing more than knocking Harry Kane and Co. off of their perch at the start of the festive period, with both sides as fired up as ever to get one over their neighbours.

At White Hart Lane, Wembley Stadium, or their new home, Arsenal have failed to win away from the Emirates in this fixture since 2014, when a Tomas Rosicky goal less than two minutes in sealed all three points in a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup third round.

A smash and grab victory would please Arsenal fans no end, but with the Portuguese in the opposing dugout, Spurs will no doubt be a tough unit to break down on their own patch.

A festive football fiesta

Burnley and Southampton will visit the Emirates after the North London derby, as well as a trip to Ireland to face Dundalk, but a period of seven days after that will decide whether it will be a merry Christmas in Arsenal fans’ houses.

December 19 sees the Gunners make the trip to Goodison Park to face Everton, who have been in free fall in recent weeks after a very promising start to the season.

Carlo Ancelotti will be looking to turn the Toffees’ fortunes around during the festive period, but if Arsenal manage to take the three points back to London, momentum will be with them ahead of the midweek Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.

The cup competitions already look like Arteta’s best bet of claiming any silverware this season, but the draw hasn’t been kind to them, with a tie against the reigning champions in store.

With the matches coming thick and fast over Christmas time, it will be no surprise if both teams field a number of younger players for this one, and if that’s the case, the Gunners will fancy their chances. 

Joe Willock

A number of young guns have shown their quality in the Europa League already this season, with Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson constantly catching the eye, and a place in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup would be the perfect early Christmas present for Arsenal fans.

And after all the festivities are over, Boxing Day brings a titanic showdown with Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at the Emirates, for the perfect post-Christmas comedown.

Revenge will be on the cards for the hosts, after two late goals from Jorginho and Tammy Abraham stole the points for the Blues in a 2-1 victory in the same fixture last season.

For better or for worse, it is set to be a manic month of action for Mikel Arteta and his side, but if he gets them firing on all cylinders, there is no reason why the Gunners can’t climb the table and be back among the front runners ahead the new year.


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