Arsenal well placed to stake top 6 claim with upcoming fixtures

After an enormously disappointing opening start to the season with three straight losses, Arsenal has responded accordingly with three straight league wins to point them in the right direction.

The most recent 3-1 thrashing at the Emirates against Spurs saw the Gunners not only win the first North London Derby of the year, but in a hugely convincing manner.

Prior to the Spurs game, the Gunners looked offensively challenged, creating little on the attacking end and failing to convert key chances. An Arsenal that had managed to score two goals in the first five games of the season did not look like a team who would dismantle Tottenham.

Whether an energetic team talk by Mikel Arteta or a change in the air on that Sunday afternoon, something sparked this performance. Pinpointing the exact reasons as to why conjures up a few outcomes, but there is certainly no complaining as the winning continues.

Arsenal are well placed to stake a claim for a top 6 finish with fixtures coming up that can keep them in the hunt ahead of the Christmas period

The Spurs match offered an indication of what Arsenal has the potential to become, and that is a great team: a side bursting full of youthful talent and players with a wide variety of skills. If everything begins to click, these types of results can become the normalcy. It’s only positive.

Looking towards upcoming games in the month of October, the Gunners will face Brighton, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Leeds and Leicester City. All of these games are more than winnable, giving Arsenal a perfect opportunity to stake a claim to get back into the top six reckoning.

The Gunners have already faced Chelsea and Manchester City, but won’t play another Premier League top four side until November 20 where they travel to Anfield to play Liverpool.

This will give Arsenal plenty of time to build up their confidence in the month of October and rack up wins prior to their next supposed ‘big hitter’. Building on this performance, which will be needed as the past three games fell under the winnable bracket, can put Arsenal in a position where they can head to Merseyside less fearful the outcome.

With no Champions League football for the Gunners this season, full-force should be thrown into the Premier League and the top six should be the aim. The cup competitions boast silverware opportunities, but this upcoming league run is an inviting prospect on paper.

The way Arsenal played their last match and their upcoming schedule, they have all the chance of realizing their aspirations by staking a claim for a top six finish. The season doesn’t finish in November, but Mikel Arteta’s side can be well placed to be in among the conversation come that time.

The big question is whether they can continue improving in key aspects and bring the winning atmosphere back to the camp.