Arsenal will have a relatively low amount of travelling to do over the Christmas and New Year period, with just one away game outside of London before January 22. The team will play three away games in the capital, with a total of just under 250 miles of travel on the road. Brighton will account for the majority of this distance, with Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Brentford making up the rest. The team managed to avoid any potential travel fatigue in the FA Cup third-round draw, which saw them drawn against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.
After their recent 5-2 win over West Ham, Arsenal find themselves nine points behind league leaders Liverpool. The team will face Crystal Palace and Manchester United twice during their upcoming run of games. Despite their good fortune in terms of travel, Arsenal will still face challenging matches against teams like Newcastle, Girona, Southampton, and Nottingham Forest. The team will be looking to close the gap on the leaders and challenge for the title by the end of the season, though a nine-point deficit at this stage of the season has never been overcome in Premier League history.
The recent match between West Ham and Arsenal was one of the most exciting London derbies in recent memory, with seven goals scored in the first half alone. Arsenal took a 4-0 lead before West Ham managed to claw back with two quickfire goals, including a stunning Emerson free-kick. Bukayo Saka scored a penalty just before half-time to make it 5-2, marking only the fourth Premier League match in history to see seven goals before the break. Mikel Arteta made changes in the second half, keeping in mind the upcoming showdown with Manchester United at the Emirates.
The result of the West Ham match moved Arsenal up to second place in the Premier League table, six points behind leaders Liverpool. The team will have a chance to close this gap in their upcoming games, with a favourable fixture list in terms of travel. Arsenal will be hoping to take advantage of this low amount of travelling and make a push for the top spot by the end of the season. Despite the challenges ahead, the team will be looking to continue their strong form and challenge for the Premier League title.
