Since being eliminated from both domestic cup competitions last month, Arsenal's objective has been clear - to qualify for next season's Champions League.
They face stiff competition from Tottenham, Manchester United and West Ham as they seek to do so, but with no distractions the Gunners may now feel that they have a slight edge over their rivals.
Part of the upside to having so few games is the ability to maintain a consistency in selection, and for the most part this campaign Mikel Arteta has been able to field a relatively unchanged starting XI.
