Arsenal next fixtures after Champions League compared to Liverpool and Man City with title advantage

Arsenal's season could be just eight games from conclusion. It could also yet be 11. Either way, Mikel Arteta's side are into the home straight.

Their 2-2 Champions League quarter-final first-leg draw with Bayern Munich kept things balanced heading into the last six weeks of matches. The prospect of a double remains tantalisingly close — especially after Liverpool relinquished their narrow advantage in the Premier League — but another year trophyless is still more than possible despite yet more giant leaps in progress being made.

What will cause problems for Arteta is the upcoming schedule. Whereas 12 months ago Arsenal had already been knocked out of the Europa League and were granted extra time over Manchester City to prepare for the title run-in, this term they look set to be busy.

Even if Arsenal were, in a worst-case scenario, to drop out of Europe after the second leg in Germany next week, it would leave them just two free midweeks out of five. As the margin for error in the league remains practically non-existent, it could yet play a major factor.

Arsenal have seven Premier League games left. At least two of those will come after high-octane Champions League clashes — starting with Aston Villa's trip to north London on Sunday and followed by the journey to Wolves seven days later.Should they progress to a first semi-final since 2006, they would have another three Premier League games affected around their European exploits.

To have a successful season, this is ultimately the price that is paid but it will nonetheless be a factor. After playing Bayern at the Allianz Arena, they have three testing league games in a row. Wolves and Tottenham are both vowing to be king-makers as teams that face all three title