Arsenal fixtures: Next six games after crazy Fulham draw

As Arsenal painfully found out last term, a Premier League season is an awfully long time.

However, September is already shaping up to be a pivotal month for the Gunners. On top of a return to Champions League action, Arsenal face both Manchester United and north London rivals Tottenham over the coming weeks. October does not get much easier.

After Saturday's exhilarating 2-2 draw with Fulham, here's what lies ahead for last season's runners-up.

Arsenal vs Manchester United - Premier League

Arsenal's regular nemesis Jose Mourinho was manager of Manchester United for the club's most recent Premier League victory at the Emirates Stadium.

David de Gea made a record-equalling 14 saves to earn a 3-1 win for the visitors but will not be between the sticks come the start of September. Andre Onana has made an encouraging start to life at United - one bizarre VAR review aside - but will find it tough to better De Gea's heroics.

• 03/09/23 - Arsenal vs Manchester United (16:30)

Everton vs Arsenal - Premier League

Sean Dyce revelled in a perfect debut as Everton manager, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Goodison Park last February with a performance that embodied his mantra: "Minimum requirement being maximum effort."

Those three precious points massively contributed to last season's survival. But the banner dragged along by a plane above the contest which labelled Everton "the league's worst-run club" was perhaps more prophetic of the long-term future in the blue half of Merseyside.

• 16/09/23 - Everton vs Arsenal (16:30)

2023/24 Champions League group stage - Matchday 1

Bukayo Saka has the afternoon of Thursday 31 August circled in red on his calendar. "It's very exciting," the Arsenal forward admits as he impatiently waits for the Champions League group-stage draw. "I know for a fact I'll be watching."

Arsenal's starboy will have a further three weeks to wait before he gets the chance to make his debut in the competition, which could be against the likes of Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain.

• 19-20/09/23 - Champions League group stage - Matchday 1

Arsenal vs Tottenham - Premier League

For the first time since the 2013/14 season, Arsenal did the league double over their fiercest rivals Tottenham Hotspur last term.

With the north London derby's all-time leading scorer no longer skulking around the capital waiting for an obligatory penalty, Arsenal will be confident of repeating the feat this season. Although, Spurs haven't started the campaign too shabbily without Harry Kane.

• 24/09/23 - Arsenal vs Tottenham (14:00)

Bournemouth vs Arsenal - Premier League

On Bournemouth's last trip to the Emirates, the Cherries took the lead inside the opening ten seconds and didn't fall behind until the final ten seconds in a dramatic 3-2 defeat to the Gunners five months ago.

Andoni Iraola has since taken charge of Bournemouth and will be well aware of what Arteta can coax out of his side having come through the same Basque youth team as Arsenal's coach.

• 30/09/23 - Bournemouth vs Arsenal (15:00)

Arsenal vs Manchester City - Premier League

Arsenal get their first stab at the reigning champions at the start of October. The Gunners missed out on an autumnal meeting with Manchester City last season due to fixture rescheduling and so faced Pep Guardiola's side just as they peaked after the turn of the year.

Received wisdom suggests that the October version of City should be slightly rustier than later iterations but Arsenal have hardly begun the new campaign smoothly.

• 08/10/23 - Arsenal vs Manchester City (16:30)