Arsenal can go top of the Premier League with a win against West Ham United on Saturday.
The Gunners are currently second and two points behind last year's champions Liverpool. Mikel Arteta's side have started the 2025/26 season incredibly well and are unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions.
In fact, the north Londoners have lost just once this campaign, and that was a narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal closed the gap at the top of the table with a win over Newcastle last weekend, with Gabriel's late winner securing all three points on Tyneside.
Liverpool, meanwhile, were defeated 2-1 by Crystal Palace and go into the weekend fixture against Chelsea on the back of back-to-back defeats after losing 1-0 to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Arteta's squad could send a real message to the rest of the league this weekend as if they win against West Ham in the 3pm clash on Saturday, they will go top. Liverpool will have the chance to reclaim top spot against Chelsea in the 5:30pm fixture on Saturday, but Enzo Maresca's side will be a tough test at Stamford Bridge.
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With this weekend's games the last round of fixtures before the October international break, the Gunners will want to claim top spot and stay there for as long as possible. It would also be a huge psychological advantage over Liverpool and other title rivals.
Arteta's side finished 10 points behind Liverpool last season and the Spaniard has previously insisted they are the favourites. "They are the strongest for sure," the Arsenal boss said last month after the Reds confirmed the signing of Alexander Isak.
"They have recruited the two most decisive players that were in Europe in the market (Isak and Wirtz), and they did really well to do that. They were very, very strong, and we need to look at ourselves and what we have to do in terms of our abilities to be better than them."
Pressed as to how hard it could be for Arsenal to stop Liverpool this season, Arteta said: "It is not about Liverpool, but the league in general and how difficult it will be with the level that it is to be so consistent and win the amount of matches you need to earn the right to win the title. That is going to be a really long run for all of us."
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