Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign against Napoli on Wednesday night, but the trip to Italy also marks the start of a demanding spell that will see the Gunners play four matches in just ten days across three different competitions.
Mikel Arteta’s side head to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona first, before quickly turning their attention back to domestic matters.
There will be very little breathing space.
**Arsenal’s four-game run**
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The sequence begins with Napoli away on Wednesday, September 9, as Arsenal get their latest Champions League journey underway.
Just three days later, the Gunners travel to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday, September 12.
Then comes another competition.
Arsenal begin their Carabao Cup campaign away to Ipswich Town on Tuesday, September 15, before completing the run with another Premier League away fixture against Brighton at the Amex on Saturday, September 19.
That means Arsenal will face:
**Napoli (A) – Champions League – September 9**
**Sunderland (A) – Premier League – September 12**
**Ipswich Town (A) – Carabao Cup – September 15**
**Brighton (A) – Premier League – September 19**
Four games. Ten days. Three competitions. And, notably, four consecutive away matches.
(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
**Arteta’s squad depth will be tested**
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It is precisely the kind of period in which Arsenal’s squad depth could become increasingly important.
The Champions League opener in Naples is unlikely to be a game in which Arteta will want to take many risks with his team selection, while Premier League points remain just as valuable when Arsenal return to domestic action against Sunderland.
[The Carabao Cup trip to Ipswich](https://www.justarsenal.com/carabao-cup-draw-arsenal-travel-to-ipswich/420967) could therefore offer the manager his clearest opportunity to rotate, particularly with Brighton waiting four days later.
Managing workloads will be important, but maintaining momentum could matter just as much.
Arsenal have made a strong start to the new campaign and will want to reach the international break with that confidence intact rather than allowing a congested fixture list to interrupt their rhythm.
**A significant ten days for Arsenal**
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None of these games will decide Arsenal’s season in isolation, particularly this early in the campaign.
Taken together, however, they represent the first real examination of the squad’s ability to move between competitions while continuing to produce results.
European football returns on Wednesday night, the Carabao Cup begins next week and six important Premier League points are available in between.
By September 19, Arsenal could have made an excellent start in Europe, progressed in the League Cup and maintained their early Premier League momentum.
The next ten days should tell us plenty about how well equipped Arteta’s squad is to fight on several fronts this season.
How would you approach these four matches, Gooners? Would you rotate heavily at Ipswich, or keep the strongest possible side together while Arsenal are in form? Let us know in the comments. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
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