Overview
- Arsenal remain in contention in four competitions as they top the Premier League and lead their Champions League group heading into the new year.
- Arsenal advanced to the Carabao Cup semi-finals by beating Crystal Palace on penalties and will face Chelsea over two legs in January.
- Arsenal will begin their FA Cup campaign with a third-round tie away to Portsmouth.
- January features nine matches, with Saliba noting the schedule will test squad depth and that injured players are expected to return.
- Mikel Arteta’s last major trophy was the 2020 FA Cup after three straight league runner-up finishes, adding pressure to end the drought.