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Arsenal are now second in the Premier League table with just five matches left to play
Arsenal have a unique Premier League title race advantage up their sleeve in their final five remaining matches.
The Gunners' frustrating 2-1 defeat at rivals Manchester City on Sunday was the last time they will leave the capital for a top-flight game this season.
Once next week's Champions League semi-final away trip to Atletico Madrid is out of the way, the players will stay in their own beds for the rest of the campaign.
The additional rest, with no substantial travel, is the kind of marginal gain that perfectionist boss Mikel Arteta will relish during the run-in.
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Already this week, Arteta allowed his squad two days off post-City, which feels like a rarity this season amid the fixture churn.
Striker Viktor Gyokeres was among those to make the most of the break as he returned to Lisbon for some downtime.
Arsenal host Newcastle on Saturday before heading to Spain to take on Atletico Madrid.
Beyond that, they host Fulham, Atletico, travel to West Ham, host relegated Burnley before heading to Croydon to take on Crystal Palace on the final day of the campaign.
Manchester City's schedule looks slightly different and while they do not have to travel far to face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, they do have a long trip south to face Bournemouth and they also have their FA Cup semi-final against Southampton at Wembley this weekend.
If they prevail, they will also travel back down to London for the FA Cup final on May 16, the same weekend that Arsenal host Burnley.
City undoubtedly have the quality and squad depth to cope but Arsenal can now slowly start to tick games off as they creep towards the finish line.
They are also hopeful of welcoming back several injured stars in the next few games with Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori all eager to return.
Midfielder Mikel Merino could also be back before the end of the campaign to play a role in Arsenal's pursuit of the Double, which would be a major boost given the Gunners have been light on the ground in the centre of the park lately.
Keeping key players fit will also be imperative but outside of Arsenal's Champions League semi-finals, they will have full weeks to prepare for fixtures against Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on the final day.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Ryan Taylor
Ryan Taylor is a London-based Football Reporter who has worked across Reach's National titles since 2018. After graduating from the University of Brighton with a Sports Journalism degree, he previously climbed the ranks of the Daily Express, where he also covered boxing, before joining the Sunday Mirror as a Football Reporter in 2023. Ryan has developed a strong track record for breaking news on the London football beat.
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