Arsenal must exploit huge Liverpool title race advantage as Mikel Arteta eyes Arne Slot pursuit

Arsenal are running out of road in the title race. After just 12 Premier League games played they find themselves nine points behind Liverpool already. No team has ever recovered such a deficit. Thankfully, they seem to be kicking into gear just in time to make history.

Spearheaded by the return of Martin Odegaard the Gunners have won their last two games scoring eight goals in the process. That's one more than they had managed in their previous seven matches combined.

It's enough to leave Mikel Arteta feeling that, while there is not much margin for error, Arsenal can still run out winners in the title race. "Well [the margin for error] is much smaller when you see the consistency in terms of results that Liverpool are having," he said. "They are making exceptional improvements and results, but we are there.

"We have played against them and we have seen live where we are in relation to them, so that gives me a lot of confidence."

The Gunners need to find a way of gaining points on their title rivals, and fast. A chance to do so may come this weekend when Liverpool take on Manchester City. Arne Slot's men will be heavy favourites for the clash at Anfield having just beaten Real Madrid and started the season so strongly. City, meanwhile, are in a rotten run of form, having failed to win in five matches and surrendered a three-goal lead to Feyenoord in midweek.

Regardless of whether they do gain ground this weekend though, Arsenal have something of an advantage in the month of December. The festive period is known for being make or break when it comes to title challenges, with the fixtures coming thick and fast.

After being given a brutally tough start to the season that saw them play Aston Villa, Newcastle, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea within their first six away matches, the fixture list gods seem to have smiled up on Arsenal. The Gunners will not leave London for the entirety of December in either the Premier League or Champions League. Even their Carabao Cup quarter final with Crystal Palace has served up a home tie at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool, on the other hand, have a lot more travelling to do. The Reds face a Champions League trip to Girona as well as lengthy trips down to the capital to play Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham in the Premier League. In the Carabao Cup, they face an even longer journey down south to play Southampton.

In total in December, Liverpool will travel a whopping 1,053.6 miles. By contrast, Arsenal will travel 36.1 miles.

Of course, it guarantees nothing. Arsenal's title charge arguably fell apart last season when lost back-to-back London derbies against West Ham and Fulham over the festive period. Liverpool, meanwhile, are yet to falter against any test they've faced this season.

But with injuries ramping up this season and fatigue likely to play a huge part, the disparity in travel between the two teams could have a huge part to play this season. This is a massive month for both as we wait to find out who will be Premier League champions in the 2024/25 season.

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