The Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season are due to be announced on Friday, June 15. Arsenal will learn who will be their first opponents of the campaign and also when important dates like the North London derby and trips to title rivals Manchester City.
For the past few seasons, Arsenal have had tricky trips away from home to navigate. They won two of the last three with a 3-0 win over Fulham and a 2-0 win last season at Crystal Palace.
However, a tricky time at Brentford in 2021 began the worst start to a Premier League season for the club with zero goals after three games and nine goals conceded. football.london takes a look at the best and worst-case scenarios for the opening weekend of Arsenal’s Premier League season.
Best-case
Nottingham Forest at home
The joint-highest scoring home difference of the season saw the Gunners put five past Nottingham Forest with Reiss Nelson scoring twice. With how the season ended there's additional motivation, too, to get Steve Cooper's side back for ending Arsenal's title hopes at the City Ground.
Wolves at home
Another five-goal rout ended the season in what became an effective exhibition match at the Emirates Stadium in May. Granit Xhaka scored twice in what most assume to be his farewell game and Arsenal will hope to get a similar scoreline to kick-off the new campaign should it be the West Midlands side again.
West Ham at home
With Arsenal targeting Declan Rice, taking their opponent's best player away and adding the England international to their team would create quite a quality gap. As the Hammers look to adjust to life without their captain, it makes sense to play them as early as possible.
READ MORE: Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Declan Rice 'agreement', Moises Caicedo offer, Havertz swoop
Worst-case
Man City or Liverpool away
Of course, the worst two games to kick off the season are away at the two grounds the Gunners have struggled so much at in the recent past, the Etihad and Anfield. Wanting to get off to a good start, these opponents add immediate pressure and a test that could see them start off on the back foot if they fail.
Burnley away
Burnley walked the Championship last season and under Vincent Kompany are no longer the predictable Sean Dyche side that we’ve come to expect. Turf Moor was never the best ground for the Gunners to visit, seeing points dropped in frustrating fashion but the unpredictability of a trip to a newly promoted side is an unwanted possibility.
Everton away
Is there a ground that has given Arsenal so little in recent years than Goodison Park? The defeat last season was effectively the kick-off to the title chase collapse as it sparked a three-game winless run including the defeat to Man City. Avoiding any trips to Merseyside, therefore, are very much preferable.
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