Arsenal are looking to return to the Champions League after five seasons away.
Over the past decade or so, the story of the Gunners in Europe has been one of steady decline. After going out in the quarter-finals during the 2009/10 iteration of the competition, the club suffered seven successive last-16 exits.
They then dropped into the Europa League for four straight seasons between 2017 and 2021, before they failed to qualify for any continental competition last term.
The tide had seemed to be turning for much of this season but a few slip-ups at the beginning of April has left Arsenal scrapping for everything in the top-four race.
Here is exactly what the Gunners need to do to return to the Champions League...
How Arsenal can qualify for the Champions League
Arsenal's fate is largely still in their own hands. Win all their games and they should finish in the top four. Sounds easy enough on paper.
They currently trail fourth-place Tottenham by three points but possess a game in hand and still have to play their bitter rivals on 12 May.
What may cause an issue if Arsenal do not win each of their remaining matches is their goal difference, with a 10-goal swing required before the end of the season if they were to end on the same points as Spurs and finish above them.
Arsenal Premier League fixtures
- Southampton vs Arsenal (15:00) - 16/04/2022
- Chelsea vs Arsenal (19:45) - 20/04/2022
- Arsenal vs Manchester United (12:30) - 23/04/2022
- West Ham vs Arsenal (16:30) - 1/05/2022
- Arsenal vs Leeds (14:00) - 8/05/2022
- Tottenham vs Arsenal - 12/05/2022
- Newcastle vs Arsenal - 16/05/2022
- Arsenal vs Everton - 22/05/2022
Can Arsenal finish fourth and not qualify for the Champions League?
It's unlikely but Arsenal could finish in the top four and not qualify for the Champions League. It would take a pretty staggering alignment of misfortune, though.
First, Chelsea miss out on the top-four (unlikely) and win the Champions League (also unlikely). In addition, West Ham would need to secure the Europa League, while also dropping out of the Premier League top four.
If this happens, it may be the most Arsenal thing to ever transpire...
Source : 90min