Referee Michael Oliver gave Arsenal a mountain to climb on Saturday afternoon, but the ten-man Gunners overcame Wolverhampton Wanderers to keep pace with league leaders Liverpool.
Riccardo Calafiori’s composed finish ensured Arsenal were not punished for Myles Lewis-Skelly’s harsh red card, although the match ended ten-a-side as Joao Gomes was also given his marching orders briefly before the winner.
While Liverpool beat Ipswich Town 4-1 at Anfield, Arsenal’s victory kept them six points off the table, while Nottingham Forest’s extraordinary five-goal defeat to Bournemouth gave the team Mikel Arteta one advantage above third place.
The Premier League title race is firmly in Liverpool’s hands, but the Gunners will not go down without a fight, and the next five matches could prove crucial in where the trophy goes at the end of the campaign.
Arsenal conclude the opening phase of the Champions League in midweek against Girona and with their place in the last 16 all but guaranteed, they should be able to rest their players ahead of the visit of Manchester City next Sunday. The teams who contested the previous two title races will trade blows in north London and the Gunners will be wary of Pep Guardiola’s men as they move towards a more recognizable version of themselves.
An almighty test is followed by one of the most simplistic matches Arsenal will face in the second half of the campaign. They travel to Leicester City two weeks later and will be well-rested as they miss the FA Cup fourth round. Arteta’s men will be expected to punish the struggling Foxes, even though they beat capital rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium the following weekend to host fellow Londoners West Ham United. The Irons are now under the management of Graham Potter, who will face the Gunners with his fourth different club. The English coach has already tasted four victories against them, including one during his time with Swedish minnows Ostersunds.
The end of February and the beginning of March, however, will prove more delicate. Arsenal welcome surprise overachievers Nottingham Forest having now moved three points ahead of the Midlands side, with Liverpool eagerly awaiting the outcome of this match. A trip to the City Ground proved a challenge for the Reds in early January and Arsenal will be under no illusions about the scale of the task.
A visit to Old Trafford hasn’t proven too difficult for many teams this season, but Manchester United have already beaten Arsenal in the FA Cup this season. The old enemies will meet in the Gunners’ first match of March at a ground where they have won only two of their last ten away games.
Kick-off date and time (GMT) | Fixing |
|---|---|
02/02/25 – 4:30 p.m. | Arsenal vs Man City |
02/15/25 – 12:30 p.m. | Leicester vs Arsenal |
02/22/25 -3:00 p.m. | Arsenal v West Ham |
02/26/25 – 7:30 p.m. | Nottingham Forest v Arsenal |
03/09/25 – 4:30 p.m. | Man Utd vs Arsenal |
Liverpool face equally difficult conundrums over the next month and begin February with a trip to the south coast. The form Bournemouthwho beat Forest last time out and are just seven points behind Arsenal, will be looking to secure an incredible result, with few ruling out the possibility of an upset at the Vitality Stadium.
After cup duels with Tottenham and Plymouth Argyle, Liverpool return to the Premier League with one of their most anticipated matches. The revamped Merseyside derby with Everton takes place midweek as the Reds aim for an increasingly rare victory at Goodison Park on their final Championship visit to the stadium. They have won two, lost one and drawn nine in their last 12 trips through Stanley Park.
The easiest of Liverpool’s February league matches comes in the middle of the month as they welcome difficulties. Wolves at Anfield. They won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Molineux in September thanks to Mohamed Salah’s second-half penalty.
A resurgence Man City are Liverpool’s opponents the following weekend. The Cityzens have been in unusually poor form this season, but are starting to find their feet at the start of the new year and will no doubt cause the Reds problems at the Etihad Stadium. It’s a place Merseysiders don’t like to visit.
There is no respite for the Reds who then face hot Newcastle United just three days later. The Magpies, who could be Liverpool’s opponents in the Carabao Cup final depending on the second leg of both clubs’ semi-finals, have been in relentless form barring an error against Bournemouth and Alexander Isak will aim to add to his three goals in five matches. against the six-time European champions.
Kick-off date and time (GMT) | Fixing |
|---|---|
02/01/25 – 3:00 p.m. | Bournemouth v Liverpool |
02/12/25 – 7:30 p.m. | Everton vs Liverpool |
02/16/25 – 2:00 p.m. | Liverpool vs Wolves |
02/23/25 – 4:30 p.m. | Man City vs Liverpool |
02/26/25 – 8:15 p.m. | Liverpool vs Newcastle |
