Arsenal have put together a battling run of three consecutive victories to seize the initiative in the race for a top four finish as their Premier League rivals flounder.
The Gunners edged out Wolves last Thursday having defeated the same opponent two weeks earlier, with a deserved victory over Brentford sandwiched in-between the two wins.
A glance at the table suggests Mikel Arteta's side are in the driving seat in search of Champions League qualification as they are just two points behind fourth-placed Manchester United despite playing three fewer fixtures.
Much has been made of Arsenal's games in hand and fans may already be dreaming of playing in Europe's premier club competition for the first time since the 2016/17 season.
Who will snatch the last spot in the top four? Have your say in the comments!
However, a closer look at the games Arsenal must make up suggests there are no guarantees these will help them close the gap on the Red Devils, even if it is only two points.
This is because each of the fixtures are against so-called 'Big Six' rivals, namely challenging trips away to Tottenham and Chelsea as well as a home encounter with title-chasing Liverpool.
The Gunners had been due to host Jurgen Klopp's side on Saturday 26 February but the Reds' participation in the Carabao Cup final - in which they defeated Chelsea on penalties on Sunday - means the fixture will instead be played on Wednesday 16 March.
Liverpool have been imperious in the top flight of late, winning their last six matches, while they thrashed Arsenal 4-0 at Anfield back in November.
Meanwhile, a new date is yet to be set for Tottenham versus Arsenal after the original date of Sunday 16 January was scuppered due to a coronavirus outbreak in Arteta's squad.
The Gunners won the reverse North London derby 3-1 in September but they have a poor record when playing Spurs away from home in the league, last winning such a fixture in 2014.
Emirates chiefs are also awaiting a new time for their trip to Chelsea, with the Blues unable to fulfil the original date of Saturday 12 February due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel led his side to a dominant 2-0 win over Arsenal in August and the reigning European and world champions will be desperate to do the double over their bitter rivals when the fixture is eventually rescheduled.
So, while the likes of Manchester United, West Ham, Tottenham and Wolves have made a habit of dropping points recently, Arsenal face three stern tests as they look to make their games in hand count.
The gap to the Red Devils is small but Arteta knows a top four finish is far from a forgone conclusion as the race hots up.
