Manchester City have been handed a slight boost in their quest to derail Arsenal from the top of the Premier League table in the coming weeks
Mikel Arteta reacts
Mikel Arteta will face a tough run of games in April(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA, Getty Images)
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Manchester City will benefit from a week away from action as Arsenal play out a congested run of fixtures next month, in a slight boost in the race for the Premier League title.
With just seven league matches remaining, the Gunners' involvement in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and Champions League has created complications.
Next month will see Mikel Arteta's squad play a remarkable five matches in 15 days across all competitions, beginning with an April 4 FA Cup quarter-final clash with Southampton away from home.
Just three days later, Arsenal head to Lisbon to face Sporting CP in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, before they return to Premier League duties against Bournemouth at home on April 11.
Their return Champions League leg with Sporting then follows at the Emirates Stadium four days later, before Arsenal take to the pitch against City in a crucial six-pointer for the Premier League title on April 19.
Following their Champions League exit to Real Madrid this week 5-1 on aggregate, combined with Crystal Palace progressing to the next round of the Europa Conference League, meanwhile, Manchester City's workload will be somewhat lighter.
City and Palace were originally scheduled to meet on Saturday, March 21, but that fixture was postponed due to Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues reaching this weekend's Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.
The game could have potentially been rearranged for the same week that Arsenal face Sporting CP in either of their UCL legs, but that possibility is no longer viable with the Eagles set to meet Fiorentina on April 9 and April 16.
Consequently, it appears probable that City will instead take on Palace in either late April or May, meaning that they will benefit from a free week off whilst Arsenal are in the midst of an extraordinary five game run with minimal time for recovery.
Manchester City's April run of fixtures
Manchester City vs Liverpool - FA Cup (H) - Saturday, April 4
Chelsea vs Manchester City - Premier League (A) - Sunday, April 12
Manchester City vs Arsenal - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 19
Burnley vs Manchester City - Premier League (A) - Sunday, April 26
Arsenal's April run of fixtures
Southampton vs Arsenal - FA Cup (A) - Saturday, April 4
Sporting CP vs Arsenal - Champions League quarter-finals first leg (A) - Tuesday, April 7
Arsenal vs Bournemouth - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 11
Arsenal vs Sporting CP - Champions League quarter-finals second leg (H) - Wednesday, April 15
Manchester City vs Arsenal - Premier League (A) - Saturday, April 19
Arsenal vs Newcastle United - Premier League (H) - Saturday, April 25
With City currently holding a game in hand over Arsenal, given that the Gunners and Wolves are the only two teams to have played 31 fixtures thus far this season, it also provides Guardiola a slight advantage on what is required to dethrone them in their pursuit of their first Premier League title in two decades.
And should Arsenal advance to the semi-finals and ultimately final of the Champions League, Arteta will also see his club's schedule for May affected further.
The Gunners will already be tasked with matches against Fulham, West Ham, Burnley and Palace, and additional games could have an impact on player fitness and potential injury in the crucial stages of the Premier League.