Arsenal have the opportunity to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League table when they host Burnley at the Emirates on Monday night.
The Gunners narrowly beat West Ham United last Sunday, pushing them a huge step closer to winning the title. They now know that two wins from their remaining two matches will guarantee their status as champions, although there is an outcome that involves the North Londoners not securing maximum points and still coming out on top.
If Mikel Arteta’s men beat Burnley, Manchester City will travel to the south coast to face Bournemouth on Tuesday, knowing that they’ll need to win to simply remain in the race. Thus, this clash with the Clarets is huge for Arsenal, as they have the ability to place enormous psychological pressure on the Citizens ahead of a difficult fixture at the Vitality Stadium.
Burnley have very little to play for, having been relegated several weeks ago. That said, Michael Jackson has warned Arteta that his team will be up for it and won’t be prepared to lie down for the Gunners.
With that said, here are the key battles that we believe could be pivotal in dictating the outcome of the game at the Emirates.
Leandro Trossard vs Kyle Walker
Burnley have few players in their ranks who have played at the highest level, although Kyle Walker is one of them. While no longer the lightning-quick, exceptional recovery defender he once was, the former England right-back still has the ability to lock down some of the better wingers in the league.
That said, he’ll be pitted against a red-hot Leandro Trossard in this one. The Belgian scored the winner at the London Stadium last week and has looked rejuvenated in recent matches.
Crafted by Martin 🪄
Completed by Leo 🥶 pic.twitter.com/wsWH5oGkaK
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 11, 2026
This may be Trossard’s last go at winning major honours, and he’s clearly not prepared to let it pass him by. He’ll be fired up to humiliate Walker in front of a jubilant Emirates crowd, and if he’s successful in doing so, it could be the difference.
Cristhian Mosquera vs Jaidon Anthony
Arsenal have a right-back dilemma heading into the final weeks of the season. Ben White is out for the season after sustaining an MCL injury away at West Ham, while Jurrien Timber is still fighting his way back from his latest fitness setback.
Cristhian Mosquera is expected to fill in for the aforementioned defenders, and his first task will be to deal with Burnley’s most potent attacker. Jaidon Anthony has scored nine goals and registered two assists across all competitions this season – a solid return for a winger playing for one of the worst teams in the league.
Anthony is dangerous when isolated one-on-one with full-backs, while he is effective at finding himself in central areas to take shots. If Mosquera is able to deal with the former Hale End academy player, then Arsenal should be capable of negating Burnley’s attack entirely.
Eberechi Eze vs Florentino
Martin Odegaard’s excellent cameo off the bench against West Ham could be enough for Arteta to justify the Norwegian’s inclusion against the Clarets. However, it wouldn’t be particularly surprising if the Gunners boss opted to deploy his captain and Eberechi Eze in an attacking midfield three.
If he does, Burnley’s defensive midfielder Florentino will have a lot on his plate at the Emirates. The former Benfica man will be tasked with tracking Eze’s elusive movement across the front line.
The Eberechi Eze show.
Our no.10's best moments in what was a dazzling display 🪄 pic.twitter.com/EVyT5KTJBs
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 24, 2025
The Portuguese is an excellent ball winner, and he certainly has the ability to disrupt Eze’s game with his aggressive tackling. If this does happen, Odegaard will need to take control.