Arsenal fixtures: Next six games after crazy Fulham draw

  • Arsenal drew 2-2 with Fulham after opening the campaign with consecutive victories
  • The Gunners return to Champions League football in September
  • A daunting fixture list includes games against Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City
Bukayo Saka scored a penalty in Arsenal's breathless 2-2 draw with Fulham
Bukayo Saka scored a penalty in Arsenal's breathless 2-2 draw with Fulham / Julian Finney/GettyImages
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As Arsenal painfully found out last term, a Premier League season is an awfully long time.

However, September is already shaping up to be a pivotal month for the Gunners. On top of a return to Champions League action, Arsenal face both Manchester United and north London rivals Tottenham over the coming weeks. October does not get much easier.

After Saturday's exhilarating 2-2 draw with Fulham, here's what lies ahead for last season's runners-up.


Arsenal vs Manchester United - Premier League

Arsenal v Manchester United
Arsenal faced off against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in the US / Howard Smith/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Arsenal's regular nemesis Jose Mourinho was manager of Manchester United for the club's most recent Premier League victory at the Emirates Stadium.

David de Gea made a record-equalling 14 saves to earn a 3-1 win for the visitors but will not be between the sticks come the start of September. Andre Onana has made an encouraging start to life at United - one bizarre VAR review aside - but will find it tough to better De Gea's heroics.

  • 03/09/23 - Arsenal vs Manchester United (16:30)

Everton vs Arsenal - Premier League

Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche (centre) steered Everton to victory over Arsenal on his managerial debut for the Toffees / Julian Finney/GettyImages

Sean Dyce revelled in a perfect debut as Everton manager, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Goodison Park last February with a performance that embodied his mantra: "Minimum requirement being maximum effort."

Those three precious points massively contributed to last season's survival. But the banner dragged along by a plane above the contest which labelled Everton "the league's worst-run club" was perhaps more prophetic of the long-term future in the blue half of Merseyside.

  • 16/09/23 - Everton vs Arsenal (16:30)

2023/24 Champions League group stage - Matchday 1

FBL-EUR-C1-DRAW
For the first time since 2016, Arsenal's name will be in one of the balls in the Champions League draw / FABRICE COFFRINI/GettyImages

Bukayo Saka has the afternoon of Thursday 31 August circled in red on his calendar. "It's very exciting," the Arsenal forward admits as he impatiently waits for the Champions League group-stage draw. "I know for a fact I'll be watching."

Arsenal's starboy will have a further three weeks to wait before he gets the chance to make his debut in the competition, which could be against the likes of Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain.

  • 19-20/09/23 - Champions League group stage - Matchday 1

Arsenal vs Tottenham - Premier League

Clement Lenglet, Eddie Nketiah, Eric Dier
Arsenal's matches with north London rivals Tottenham are some of the most ferocious in every Premier League season / Visionhaus/GettyImages

For the first time since the 2013/14 season, Arsenal did the league double over their fiercest rivals Tottenham Hotspur last term.

With the north London derby's all-time leading scorer no longer skulking around the capital waiting for an obligatory penalty, Arsenal will be confident of repeating the feat this season. Although, Spurs haven't started the campaign too shabbily without Harry Kane.

  • 24/09/23 - Arsenal vs Tottenham (14:00)

Bournemouth vs Arsenal - Premier League

Oleksandr Zinchenko
Arsenal beat Bournemouth in dramatic circumstances last season / Shaun Botterill/GettyImages

On Bournemouth's last trip to the Emirates, the Cherries took the lead inside the opening ten seconds and didn't fall behind until the final ten seconds in a dramatic 3-2 defeat to the Gunners five months ago.

Andoni Iraola has since taken charge of Bournemouth and will be well aware of what Arteta can coax out of his side having come through the same Basque youth team as Arsenal's coach.

  • 30/09/23 - Bournemouth vs Arsenal (15:00)

Arsenal vs Manchester City - Premier League

Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola
Mikel Arteta (right) has a well-documented relationship with Pep Guardiola / Robin Jones/GettyImages

Arsenal get their first stab at the reigning champions at the start of October. The Gunners missed out on an autumnal meeting with Manchester City last season due to fixture rescheduling and so faced Pep Guardiola's side just as they peaked after the turn of the year.

Received wisdom suggests that the October version of City should be slightly rustier than later iterations but Arsenal have hardly begun the new campaign smoothly.

  • 08/10/23 - Arsenal vs Manchester City (16:30)

Date / Kick-off Time (BST)

Fixture

03/09/23 - 16:30

Arsenal vs Manchester United

16/09/23 - 16:30

Everton vs Arsenal

19-20/09/23 - 17:45/20:00

Champions League group stage - Matchday 1

24/09/23 - 14:00

Arsenal vs Tottenham

30/09/23 - 15:00

Bournemouth vs Arsenal

08/10/23 - 16:30

Arsenal vs Manchester City