Liverpool currently sits comfortably atop the Premier League standings with a seven-point lead, leaving Arsenal trailing in their wake. This lead sets the stage for a pivotal week as Liverpool prepares to face Aston Villa and Manchester City, both away from home. Meanwhile, Arsenal faces a challenging period with fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, and Chelsea, compounded by an injury crisis that has left them without several key players.
Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, faces a difficult task as he navigates the upcoming matches without stars such as Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli. With limited options up front, Arteta must rely on Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard, and young Ethan Nwaneri to lead the attack. The absence of key players has left Arsenal vulnerable during a crucial stretch of the season.
Liverpool's recent 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton provided a glimmer of hope for Arsenal in their pursuit of the title. Gary Neville, a respected voice in football analysis, believes that this hard-fought win could serve as motivation for Arsenal. He also highlighted the potential consequences of Arsenal's decision not to sign a forward in the January transfer window.
"If they can get through this week then the pressure turns to Arsenal because they have games against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Chelsea. There's a good chance they could drop points in that run."
Despite the challenges, Neville is optimistic about Arsenal's offensive capabilities. He pointed out that Mikel Merino came off the bench to score a quickfire double against Leicester, demonstrating that Arsenal still possesses players who can find the back of the net.
"They are going to have to come up with something. I've got very little sympathy for Arsenal. They knew at the start of the season they were short at centre-forward. They knew they might be in a position where they didn't have the quality up top. Yes. They couldn't get any business done."
The stakes are high for Liverpool as well. With upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City, Neville suggests that securing four points from these games would place Liverpool in an advantageous position to claim the league title.
"If Liverpool can get four points out of the next two games, they will be in a really good position to go and win the league because Arsenal are going to drop points as well."
Conversely, Arsenal must focus on their upcoming fixture against Aston Villa, a team not in peak form but one that still poses a challenge at Villa Park. Additionally, Arsenal will face Manchester United, known for being tough opponents, which adds another layer of difficulty to their schedule.
"If the gap can stay at seven points through this difficult period, that will be about par."
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