Make-or-break for Gunners against Blues

IT MIGHT be premature to call a game in January “must win”, but that’s just what Arsenal may be facing this weekend.

The Gunners host Chelsea tomorrow in a match that could determine if their hopes of a topfour finish in the Premier League are realistic.

Arsenal sit fifth, one place and six points behind Chelsea in the final Champions League qualifying spot.

A win pulls Unai Emery’s side within three points, while a loss could mean a third straight season of Europa League football at best.

Arsenal have won just two of their last six league games and now must rebound against a side they have beaten just once in 14 league meetings.

“If we want to be in the top four we have to work together,” defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos said after last weekend’s 1-0 loss at West Ham.

“Chelsea is another game and we have to regroup – a lot – if we want to do something.

“It will be a difficult game, but if we want to be up there, we have to win.”

Five wins from seven have helped Chelsea open their points advantage.

“It’s a derby and also a very important game for staying in the top four,” defender Antonio Ruediger said. “We have to get the top four as quickly as possible.”

Manchester United look to continue their rebirth under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Brighton.

United made it five straight league wins and six in a row overall, since interim manager Solskjaer took over by beating Tottenham last week.

That run has lifted them level on points with Arsenal and back into the top-four discussion.

“It is very important for the club, for the players, for everyone, to finish in the Champions League, in the top four,” goalkeeper David de Gea said.

“I think the players are playing very well, the team is strong now, very strong. This is the real Manchester United.”

Liverpool and Manchester City continue their battle at the top of the table when they face sides from the bottom half.

Liverpool, currently four points clear, host Crystal Palace, while champions City visit bottom side Huddersfield, who will be playing for the first time since manager David Wagner left the club on Monday.

Newcastle host Cardiff with the teams straddling the relegation line.

Cardiff are just above the drop zone, one point above Newcastle in the bottom three.

Magpies manager Rafael Benitez may have to do some line-up juggling after losing several players to injuries in an FA Cup replay on Tuesday, but he shouldn’t expect any sympathy from Cardiff.

“We have all got injuries this time of the year,” Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock said.

“We have got about four or five out ourselves, but we have just got to patch them up a bit, get on with it.

Tottenham visit Fulham, Wolves host Leicester, West Ham go to Bournemouth, Everton visit Southampton and Watford face Burnley in the weekend’s other matches.