Arsenal midfielder Jorginho believes his team’s favorable run of home fixtures over the festive period could give them an edge in the Premier League title race against Liverpool.
The Gunners delivered a commanding performance on Saturday evening, racing to a 5-2 halftime lead over West Ham United at the London Stadium before holding onto that scoreline. The victory moved Arsenal up to second place in the Premier League table, nine points behind Liverpool, who have been nearly flawless this season.
With 25 matches and 75 points still up for grabs, the coming month will test the title ambitions of both teams. Arsenal and Liverpool each face nine matches before a brief Premier League break for the FA Cup third round in January. However, Arsenal’s schedule looks more favorable, with four of their next five games at home. This run begins with a visit from Manchester United on Wednesday, and the Gunners won’t leave London until a January 4 trip to Brighton.
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In contrast, Liverpool will play just one of their next six matches at Anfield—a league game against Fulham on December 14—forcing the Reds to clock significantly more travel miles during this busy period.
Reflecting on these contrasting schedules after Arsenal’s emphatic win, Jorginho acknowledged the potential advantage. “I think it might help,” he told reporters. “But we need to be ready for anything and aim to win in any situation. We’ll try to make the most of our home advantage to secure as many points as possible.”
Arsenal remains one of just three Premier League clubs unbeaten at home this season. However, their struggles earlier this campaign came largely in away matches, with all three of their defeats occurring on the road between October and November.
Manager Mikel Arteta remains confident in Arsenal’s title credentials, especially after watching his side capitalize on West Ham’s defensive errors. Still, he warned of the challenges Liverpool may face in maintaining their exceptional form. “It will be extremely difficult,” Arteta said. “Suddenly, when you think you’ve got it, one day it collapses.”
Whether this challenging run of away fixtures proves to be Liverpool’s stumbling block remains to be seen, but Arsenal’s home advantage could play a crucial role in the title race.