It was the twenty eighth of September 2020 when misplaced 3-1 at Anfield, extending their file towards the ‘massive six’ on the time to simply two wins from 40 such away matches. How occasions change.
There was a time when the Gunners had been regarded as spineless, clinging on to relevance on the high of the English recreation and getting rolled over each time they got here up towards a serious rival.
Nonetheless, Mikel Arteta has been utterly flipping the script in recent times, turning the Gunners into big-game specialists.
This season alone, Arsenal have performed 5 fixtures towards their massive six rivals and are but to lose, beating and whereas taking attracts towards , and .
In truth, because the begin of the 2022/23 marketing campaign, Arsenal have performed 25 matches towards different massive six groups, successful 14 of them and shedding simply 3 times, whereas scoring probably the most objectives (49). They’ve taken 50 factors in these matches, leaving them 10 factors away from Manchester Metropolis within the massive six mini-league throughout that point.
“I don’t know, we wish to have the fitting to win the video games and if we carry out the best way we carry out proper now, we’re going to win lots of video games,” Arteta responded in midweek when requested if wins over groups like Man Utd ship a message to the remainder of the league.
For all their success towards England’s finest, Arsenal nonetheless haven’t ended their lengthy title drought that dates again to the 2003/04 invincible season. If this group doesn’t elevate the Premier League trophy, will probably be seen as a large failure, given their expertise and pedigree.
Nonetheless, video games towards your direct rivals usually show key to figuring out whether or not you’re taking gold or accept silver.
You must return to April 2023 for the final time Arsenal misplaced a Premier League recreation towards a member of the large six, once they had been thrashed 4-1 by Manchester Metropolis as Pep Guardiola’s males pipped them to the title.
They went unbeaten the entire of final season in these fixtures and stay so this season. The omens are good.
Arsenal should show some extent towards bogey group Fulham
After all, Arsenal may preserve a 100% file towards the large six but when they slip up in the remainder of their fixtures, it wouldn’t depend for something.
Up subsequent is a London derby away at , who proved to be Arsenal’s bogey group final season. The Cottagers had been considered one of simply two groups — alongside (2W) — to go unbeaten towards the Gunners final season, taking a 2-2 draw from the Emirates early within the season earlier than coming from behind to win 2-1 at dwelling in December.
The 5 further factors in these matches would have seen Arsenal end three factors away from Man Metropolis on the summit of the Premier League, so Arteta received’t want reminding simply how essential this Sunday’s fixture is.
“Yeah, an enormous problem. Final 12 months we misplaced 5 factors towards them,” Arteta reporters of Fulham. “I’ve all the time been very complimentary about them, about their coach and what they do. It’s all the time a very robust place to go.”
Arsenal are massive 6/10 favourites to beat Fulham this weekend . Nonetheless, following their struggles on this fixture final season, maybe it’s a win at Craven Cottage that might ship the largest message of all.
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