Arsenal has suffered a blow in the Premier League without even kicking a ball this weekend.
The Gunners have endured a rough few weeks domestically and have won just one of the last four Premier League games amid an injury crisis. A two-week international break probably came at the ideal time for Mikel Arteta, who could welcome Bukayo Saka back into the fold for the match against Fulham next week.
But whether that will be enough to transform Arsenal’s title hopes is another matter given the London club trails Liverpool by 12 points. At this stage, the top two have played the same number of games, a state of affairs that had looked set to continue between now and the finale with Liverpool and Arsenal out of the FA Cup and, before the return of the club game this weekend, having no fixtures to rearrange.
However, the FA Cup has thrown a spanner in the works for Arsenal, with Crystal Palace’s win over Fulham meaning a league match must now be rescheduled. The Eagles had been set to travel to the Emirates on Saturday 26 April, but Palace will instead be at Wembley that weekend in the FA Cup semi-finals.
It causes a particular headache for Arsenal given its continued Champions League involvement limits the available midweek slots to fit the game in. The second and third weeks of April are taken up by the double headers against Real Madrid, and the following week comes just days before Palace’s semi-final encounter, something Oliver Glasner is unlikely to be keen on.
The Champions League semi-finals then take place over the following two midweeks, meaning the first free slot that could suit both clubs is in between Arsenal’s games against Liverpool and Newcastle United, which are currently scheduled for 10 and 18 May although the exact dates are yet to be confirmed.
It all means that, without playing a match this weekend, Arsenal’s fixture schedule has suddenly become extremely complicated.
(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
In contrast, Liverpool’s looks relatively straightforward with just nine more games to play this term, albeit the Reds would rather still be involved in the Champions League.
Arne Slot’s side play Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend of the FA Cup semi-finals, a match that won’t be rearranged as Spurs are out of the competition, while Brighton & Hove Albion’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Nottingham Forest on Saturday means Liverpool’s trip to Amex on the penultimate weekend of the season won’t be rearranged.
After the FA Cup quarter-finals, Premier League action returns on Tuesday night when Arsenal hosts Fulham. Just over 24 hours later, Liverpool welcomes Everton to Anfield for the second Merseyside derby of the season.
