Akin to last season, Arsenal are fortunate to have their opening Premier League fixture scheduled at Emirates Stadium against a puny side in Crystal Palace. Though the Gunners are booked to secure three points at ease, Arsene Wenger will be hoping to prevent a déjà vu of last season’s opener from occurring.
Arsenal play their first leg fixtures against Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Chelsea in the first three months of the season and that signals that Arsenal could win their fixtures effortlessly in the demanding months of November and December.
In November, Arsenal play host to the newly-promoted side in Burnley and a stuttering Manchester United side while they make visits to Liberty Stadium and The Hawthorns on alternate weekends. With the abundance of prowess that Arsenal possess not to mention the possible signing of Mario Balotelli, Arsenal are sure to bottle Burnley up at home when they kick off Novermber fixtures.
Though Arsene Wenger’s side have been the second best side to Manchester United in most of their meetings, Gooners could be optimistic of a victory against the Red Devils given the uncertainty that currently surrounds the Old Trafford team. Provided that Arsenal seal victories in either of the away fixture, their French manager would not be facing any competition for Manager of the Month award for a 100% win record.
As a Premier League tradition, matches are played more frequently in December than any other month and the Islington club will be playing no fewer than six fixtures. Arsenal invite Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and Southampton for a skirmish at their own turf in the closing month of 2014 while they also make away trips to Stoke City, West Ham United and Liverpool. Though Arsenal’s results against their feeder club in Southampton are mixed, Arsenal could well be unbeaten at home in December having only gotten Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers to play.
Arsenal are accustomed to leave Upton Park with their heads high and there wouldn’t be much difficulty in taking all the possible points home. Britannia Stadium are a source of frustration for Arsenal while they succumbed to a -5-1 defeat at Anfield in February. Provided that the Gunners share points with Stoke City and Liverpool, they could well haul fourteen out of the possible sixteen points in December.
Though every month and every fixture are decisive in Arsenal’s bid for the title, these two months could well catalyze their trophy hunt more than any other month.