Arsenal face a nightmare autumn as they attempt to juggle the Premier League title race and new Europa League commitments.
The fixtures for the upcoming season were released on Wednesday and the Gunners begin their fresh tilt at the title at home to Leicester City. The first north London derby is scheduled for November 18 at the Emirates Stadium.
Many of Arsenal’s games will have to be moved to Sunday with their Europa League schedule and the fixture release confirms who Arsene Wenger & Co. will have to navigate after a Thursday night run out.
It’s not good news.
Arsenal’s Europa League games will take place on September 14 and 28, October 19, November 2 and 23 and December 7 and will play away from home after five of their six Europa League group games, starting with a trip to Premier League champions Chelsea.
The sole home game is the visit of newcomers Brighton at the end of September, though the game will have to be moved to October 1 or 2.
Then it is away to Everton, a trip to the Etihad Stadium to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and then journeys to Burnley and Southampton to late November and early December respectively.
In comparison, Chelsea play Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool after four of their Champions League group games while, at the other end of the scale, five of Tottenham’s six post–group game fixtures are at home.
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