Cesc Fabregas suspects Arsenal’s Europa League commitments will be their biggest obstacle of being involved in the Premier League title race this season.
The Gunners triumphed 3-1 in Saturday’s North London derby clash against Tottenham at the Emirates, making it seven wins from their first eight Premier League matches this campaign. Mikel Arteta’s side sit top of the standings – with last month’s loss at Manchester United their only dropped points so far.
Arteta’s team missed out on a top-four finish last season, having finished eighth in consecutive campaigns prior to that – and they have not won the Premier League title since their unbeaten term in 2003/04.
Despite being huge outsiders for a title push - with Manchester City remaining favourites and Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs among the teams pushing for top-four finishes - Arsenal ’s early-season form has inevitably brought the question as to whether they can last the pace.
Formers Gunners midfielder Fabregas believes the biggest challenge for Arteta this season will be their travails in Europe. Under the Spaniard, Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2020/21 and missed out on European qualification altogether last season, but are now back in the competition.
The North London side will play six group matches and, if they were to progress all the way to this season’s final, could play up to 15 matches in the competition. Fabregas referred back to the 2018/19 campaign – when the Chelsea side he were a part of beat the Gunners in the Europa League showpiece – as making an impact on their domestic campaigns.
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Discussing Arsenal's title credentials after the North London derby, Fabregas told BT Sport: “It will be tough, it will be a challenge. I am very confident, the only question mark is the Europa League. I played in the Europa League in my last season with Chelsea, you play every Thursday, play far away, come back at 4am and then you have to get ready on the Sunday - early kick-off.
“It’s not easy but it’ll be interesting to see how Mikel will manage the situation but I believe they’re in the right way for sure.”
Arsenal started their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 win at Swiss champions FC Zurich and are set for a double-header against Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in their group, which also contains Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.
