The brilliant Arsenal, led by coach Mikel Arteta, could already see glory at the end of the road towards its first Premier League title in nearly 20 years, but the danger lurks and next Sunday's trip to Liverpool is the first of a series of decisive matches for the title.
Arsenal, who leads the Premier League standings by 8 points, must also visit defending champions Manchester City and Newcastle United, and host Chelsea, but the immediate priority will be to address its unfortunate record at Anfield recently.
Here's how the #PL table looks at the end of Matchweek 29 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wpwfzTdlp8
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 5, 2023
Liverpool have won their last 6 league home encounters with Arsenal, scoring at least 3 goals each time.
Coach Jürgen Klopp's team ranks eighth, and faces the possibility of his absence from the European championships next season, and it is not the strong team it was previously, but it is still more than capable of stopping Arsenal's march towards the title.
And with second-placed Manchester City facing bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Saturday, the gap is likely to be reduced to 5 points, and that appears to be a motivation for Arsenal players, but defeat will put the title race in the hands of City, who played a game less than Arteta's team.
Arsenal already silenced the skeptics who thought it might collapse when they lost to Manchester City in London last February.
Since then, the London side have won seven consecutive league matches, although not against a team of Liverpool's calibre. Also, the victory twice in the league during one season over Liverpool will be the first for Arsenal since 2010, which will give it a huge psychological boost.
📺 BENCH CAM IS HERE…
All the goals, celebrations and reactions to our victory over Leeds United at Emirates Stadium 🏟️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 4, 2023
Neville: If Arsenal win at Anfield, they will be crowned champions
"I think if Arsenal win at Anfield, it's a tough test for me. If I go and win at Anfield, I think Arsenal will win the league for sure," Gary Neville, who won the league title several times previously with Manchester United, told Sky Sports about this match. .
City may also set its eyes on the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals next week against Bayern Munich, but it will continue to chase Arsenal, and will hope to control its fate until the two teams meet in Manchester on April 26.
City have lost once in their last 13 league games against Southampton, who are likely to play in the second division next season.
The battle to finish the league in the Golden Square swung very much between Newcastle United and Manchester United on Wednesday, as both advanced by 3 points from fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who played more matches.
Newcastle crushed West Ham 5-1, but it will face a more difficult test when it returns to the capital to face ninth-place Brentford on Saturday, while Manchester United faces Everton clinging to a place just above the relegation zone.
🎯 Maxi's cross
👌 Wilson's header @CallumWilson getting the ball rolling last night! 🕺 pic.twitter.com/RMlaGRMKjH— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) April 6, 2023
For Tottenham, time is running out as they try to finish a turbulent season in the top four and only a win over European dreamers Brighton & Hove Albion will reignite any hope among fans tired of waiting.
The relegation battle is poised to be one of the fiercest ever in the top flight, with 9 clubs facing relegation danger.
. @JulioEnciso33 's first #PL goal! 💎🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/gdTnM00QWE
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 5, 2023
Leicester City, whose coach Brendan Rodgers sacked last Sunday, occupies penultimate place with 25 points, and will play a “must-win” match against Bournemouth, which ranks 18th in the first relegation places, the day after tomorrow, Saturday.
Bournemouth is one of 4 clubs with 27 points, and the other clubs are Nottingham Forest, Everton and West Ham United.
And Forest, who did not achieve any victory in 8 matches, will go to the renewed Aston Villa, while West Ham plays at Fulham.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 14th, host Chelsea with the return of Frank Lampard as interim coach after the dismissal of Graham Potter.
