Arsenal have been mediocre in the Premier League in the last 3 games and Mikel Arteta will be extremely angry with his team for dropping 8 points in the last 3 games in the league. It all started with a 0-1 loss to Everton before a 1-1 draw with Brentford. This was followed by a 3-1 loss to rivals of the same name Manchester City.
Their poor form currently means that Manchester City top the Premier League table with a remarkable goal difference. The Gunners have one game left, however, they have not played the second leg against Manchester City, which will take place at the Etihad Stadium. For the Gunners to win the Premier League, here are five key matches that could be the biggest deciding factors.
On April 8, the Gunners will take on Liverpool away from home. Mikel Arteta's men won the first leg at the Emirates Stadium with a score of 3-2 but this time they will play at Liverpool's bustling Anfield.
On April 26, the Gunners will play the second leg against Manchester City. Three days later, Chelsea will be a guest at Emirates Stadium. Next, the Gunners will face four top contenders, Newcastle United away, and the last match on the list will be when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit Emirates Stadium on May 28.
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Man Utd strikers Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes
According to a report, Arsenal are aiming to sign a striker from Man Utd in a historic switch between the two English giants.
The Gunners lost 3-1 to Man City on Wednesday night, wiping out the rest of the top spot.
Gabriel Martinelli struggled to assert himself in the game and was again substituted on the bench by January rookie Leandro Trossard.
Meanwhile, Eddie Nketiah missed a delicious opportunity to open the scoring and the all-time top scorer in the league - Alan Shearer - feared for the top team Arsenal.
Gabriel Jesus usually starts for Nketiah but is sidelined with a knee injury. However, according to Football Insider, Arsenal have targeted a near-unthinkable move for Man Utd's Marcus Rashford.
If signed, the Man Utd superstar will kick right into Arteta's left wing and complete the dream trio ahead of Rashford, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka behind Jesus.
Rashford's contract makes Arsenal stronger
FI reports that Arsenal are monitoring Rashford's situation at Old Trafford amid "continued uncertainty" over his contract status.
The 25-year-old is undoubtedly the best player in the Premier League since the World Cup. His remarkable achievement since Qatar is 13 goals in 15 appearances. United activated the one-year option on Rashford's contract on December 20. As such, his current contract expires at the end of next season, not this one.
However, that does not stop Bayern Munich from assessing the possibility of a free transfer in 2024 if Rashford does not put pen to paper in Manchester.
Arsenal also seem to sense the opportunity and manager Arteta has been described as a 'crazy fan' of the England international.
It is unclear if Arsenal will be willing to bid for Rashford this summer. The alternative would be to wait until he becomes a free agent in 2024.
But what is clear is that Man Utd will do everything possible to not only reject Arsenal, but tie their talisman to a new and improved deal.
Rashford leaving is unthinkable for Ten Hag and Man Utd
Discussions about a longer-term extension have taken place and talkSPORT and the Manchester Evening News report that things have gone relatively smoothly.
However, if talks break down - likely due to Erik ten Hag's 'Ronaldo rule' - Arsenal and Bayern will be ready to attack.
The FI report concludes that Man Utd has no intention of selling Rashford at this time. Their hope and expectation is that a new contract will be signed and they believe Rashford can become even better this season.
It is known that United are looking for a new striker this summer and according to the Telegraph, their main candidates are Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.
But losing Rashford would simultaneously weaken Ten Hag's front line and give the Dutchman a second space to fill.
The evolution between Arsenal and Man Utd is generally rare in the Premier League era, especially with a player of the caliber of Rashford just entering his prime.
Robin van Persie moved from London to Manchester and helped United win the 2013 title. Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mhkitaryan have also switched sides.
Although Rashford is unlikely to feature on this list, it is clear that Arsenal will do whatever it takes to make this incredible change a reality.
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