After reaching the midway point of their Premier League campaign in thrilling style with a comeback 3-2 win at home to in-form Manchester United, Arsenal are favourites to win the 2022/23 Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners lost only one of their first 19 games to establish a five-point lead over Manchester City, and they have a game in hand over the reigning champions, who beat Wolves 3-0 on the same day with the help of a hat-trick by top-flight top scorer Erling Haaland.
Although Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League for the first time since 2004 are in their own hands, City have some comfort in knowing that they will be able to close the gap when they play their main rivals for top spot home and away in the league during the remaining months.
The teams will also meet in the FA Cup fourth round and Arsenal have a postponed match to fit in somewhere. When are the games happening and who else are the leaders still to play? Here’s their schedule.
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When is Arsenal’s game in hand?
Arsenal had been scheduled to host Everton in September before all Premier League games on the weekend of the match were called off following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
A rearranged date is yet to be confirmed amid a packed schedule that has been further complicated by the mid-season break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November and December.
The match could take place during one of the weeks scheduled for FA Cup games if Arsenal are knocked out of the competition.
Everton have already exited the FA Cup courtesy of a 3-1 third-round defeat at Man United, but Arsenal won 3-0 at third-tier Oxford United to set up the tie of the next round when they travel to Man City on January 27.
Should they lose, they will be free to host Everton on the week beginning February 27 (FA Cup fifth-round week) and the weekends of March 18 (quarterfinals weekend) and April 22 (semifinals weekend).
If Arsenal beat City, those latter dates could be used to accommodate the game against Everton if Arteta’s side are knocked out in the fifth round or quarterfinals.
When do Arsenal play Man City?
Aside from that cup game at the Etihad Stadium, where City hammered Chelsea 4-0 in the third round, Arsenal’s two games against City loom large.
The run-in would usually be approaching at this time of year because of the number of extra games that would have been played during the six weeks when the action stopped for the World Cup.
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As it is, there will still be most of the second half of the season to play by the time the teams first meet, when City travel to London on February 15.
The game at Emirates Stadium was postponed in October to make room for Arsenal’s home match against PSV in the Europa League, which was rescheduled following the death of the Queen.
The potential for City to gain six points on Arsenal by winning both games is a key reason why many commentators still believe they are more likely to win the title.
Both sides’ fixtures will inevitably play a crucial role in deciding who triumphs. Arsenal, for example, still have to visit high-flying Newcastle United, while City’s final game is at Brentford, who beat them 2-1 at the Etihad in November with two Ivan Toney goals.
Man City vs Arsenal (FA Cup fourth round)
- January 27 2023, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET
Arsenal vs Man City (Premier League)
- February 15 2023, 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET
Man City vs Arsenal (Premier League)
- April 26 2023, 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET (date and time subject to change)
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Arsenal’s key fixtures left to play in 2022/23
April and May contain the most difficult fixtures for Arsenal on paper during the remainder of their season, with three of their games against particularly dangerous opponents coming away from home.
A tough-looking run of fixtures begins with a test against Liverpool at Anfield, where Arsenal have not won in the Premier League for more than 10 years.
Arsenal host Chelsea three days after visiting City, then go to Newcastle in their next game, when they will bid to avoid a repeat of their 2-0 defeat last season.
Mega-wealthy Newcastle have been by far the most improved team in the Premier League in 2022/23, aside from the leaders, and were third after 20 games of the season.
- Liverpool vs Arsenal – April 8
- Man City vs Arsenal – April 26
- Arsenal vs Chelsea – April 29
- Newcastle vs Arsenal – May 6
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Arsenal’s historic Premier League points totals
Since English clubs began receiving three rather than two points for a win in 1981, Arsenal’s lowest points total was 51 during the 1994/95 season.
Their win over Manchester United this season took them to 50 points, only six short of their joint-lowest ever tally at the end of the 2019/20 campaign, when Arteta had taken over midway through.
Their best ever total is 90, achieved in their unbeaten season of 2003/04 when their squad became known as ‘The Invincibles’.
Arsenal retained the trophy they had won with three fewer points a year earlier during the glory days of iconic manager Arsene Wenger.
The top flight has been a 21-team division for much of Arsenal’s history, giving them 42 games in which to achieve their totals.
Since the 1995/96 season, however, the Premier League has been reduced to 20 teams, giving them four fewer matches to play.
Here’s how many points Arsenal have won in each of their title-winning seasons.
| Season | Points | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 1930/31 | 66 | +7 |
| 1932/33 | 58 | +4 |
| 1933/34 | 59 | +3 |
| 1934/35 | 58 | +4 |
| 1937/38 | 52 | +1 |
| 1947/48 | 59 | +7 |
| 1952/53 | 54 | +0* |
| 1970/71 | 65 | +1 |
| 1988/89 | 76 | +0** |
| 1990/91 | 83 | +7 |
| 1997/98 | 78 | +1 |
| 2001/02 | 87 | +7 |
| 2003/04 | 90 | +11 |
* Won title on goal difference
** Won title on goals scored
