Arsenal will start the 2023/24 Premier League season with the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta rallies his men to challenge for the title once again.
The top flight fixtures for the upcoming campaign were released on Tuesday morning as supporters start to plan what the next year of following their side might look like. While exact dates may change, Gunners fans can spot tough runs of matches and pencil in the weekends for key clashes.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal – Saturday, August 24
Arsenal’s first away day this season is a trip to the Midlands to take on last year’s surprise package in Aston Villa. The now Champions League outfit will welcome Mikel Arteta and his men in Gameweek 2.
The Villains proved a real problem for Arsenal last season. Unai Emery’s side beat the Gunners 1-0 at Villa Park last December and were then the only top flight club to defeat the Londoners with a 2-0 humbling at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal will be desperate to avoid a third defeat in a row against Aston Villa in the second match of the season and must find a way to breach the opposition’s backline this time around.
Arsenal vs Brighton – Saturday, August 31
There are two potential banana skin fixtures back-to-back early on in the campaign as Brighton visit the Emirates Stadium the week after that testing trip to Villa Park. The Gunners comfortably overcame the Seagulls home and away last season with an aggregate score of 5-0, but that hasn’t always been the case in recent campaigns.
In May 2023, Brighton beat the Gunners 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium with just two Premier League matches left, a huge blow to the side’s title hopes that year. In April 2022 the south coast side won 2-1 at the Emirates and the visitors also picked up three points in December 2019 too.
Those two early fixtures against bogey teams in Aston Villa and Brighton will be key for Arsenal to ensure a confident start and avoid an early panic.
Manchester City vs Arsenal – Saturday, September 21
While Liverpool will be hoping to ensure the Premier League doesn’t become a two-horse race again this term, early feelings are that it will once again be a Mikel Arteta vs Pep Guardiola showdown.
Arsenal face their fierce title rivals for the first time in late September with a trip to the Etihad Stadium. At such an early stage, the Gunners won’t yet know just how close the title challenge could be but giving the Cityzens any advantage in September could already prove fatal.
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Newcastle United vs Arsenal – Saturday, November 2
The rivalry between Arsenal and Newcastle United appears to have intensified in recent years. A trip to St James’ Park seems guaranteed to come with a healthy serving of drama.
Mikel Arteta did little to endear himself to the Geordie faithful with his refereeing outburst in November and the Tynesiders will no doubt be eager to give him a frosty reception. The two sides also played out a thriller in May 2023, when Arsenal won 2-0 in the North East, but in May 2022 it was the Magpies who claimed a euphoric 2-0 victory.
This season, Newcastle United don’t have European commitments and will no doubt be raring to go against Arsenal. Bring your popcorn.
Arsenal vs Manchester City – Saturday, February 1
Manchester City visit the Emirates Stadium in early February in what could well be a title-deciding meeting.
Arsenal got the better of Pep Guardiola’s side in London in October 2023. The Gunners left it late with an 86th-minute Gabriel Martinelli goal securing a 1-0 win in dramatic fashion. The last time the two clubs met at the Emirates in February was last year when the visitors won 3-1.
