Arsenal's fixtures have been released for the 2022/23 Premier League season, with Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Bournemouth their first three opponents.
A tough end to last season saw the Gunners drop out of the Premier League top four and end the season in fifth, claiming a spot in the UEFA Europa League for this upcoming season. Mikel Arteta is tipped to bring in a handful of new players this summer, but as of yet, only young Brazilian forward Marquinhos, has arrived at the Emirates.
The Premier League announced the official fixtures for next season at 9:00 AM BST on Thursday, June 16, 2022, and Arsenal have a mixed start to the season on paper. Arteta's first clash with north London rivals Tottenham will be on October 1, whilst their first game against London rivals Chelsea falls on November 5.
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So, how could Arsenal perform in these games next season, and what will their standout results be? To try and predict the future, we simulated their entire 2022/23 season to try and see where Arteta's side could finish in the Premier League next season.
Arsenal's 2022/23 Premier League fixtures simulated
To complete this simulation, we used Football Manager 2022 and updated the game with the latest teams, transfers, and most importantly, the updated fixtures for the 2022/23 season. Let's see how Arsenal played in some of their games next season.
Opening game: Crystal Palace 1-2 Arsenal (Saturday, August 7, 2022)
Arsenal picked up three points in the first game of the 2022/23 season, beating Crystal Palace 2-1 away from home. Not an easy start to the season on paper, but goals from Emile Smith-Rowe and Martin Odegaard on either side of a Palace equaliser secured the victory.
Biggest win: Arsenal 5-0 Fulham (Saturday, August 27, 2022)
The Gunners' hit Fulham for five in their biggest win of the season, beating the Cottagers 5-0 at home in the first month of the new season. Goals from Takehiro Tomiyasu, Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka and a double from Eddie Nketiah saw the Gunners overcome 9-men Fulham, with the feel-good factor through the roof in the first month.
Biggest shock: Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal (Saturday, February 18, 2023)
Arsenal didn't suffer any major defeats in the 2022/23 league campaign, with the biggest shock probably being a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Danny Ings scored the only goal at Villa Park, whilst Arsenal failed to score for just the fourth time in the entire season.
Derby days: Tottenham vs Arsenal
After missing out on the top four to their rivals last season, Arsenal were determined to claim the bragging rights in the 2022/23 season against Tottenham. A 2-2 draw in the first meeting between the two sides saw the Gunners pick up a point, but Arsenal won the reverse fixture, making it four out of six points gained against their north London rivals.
Goals from Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu handed Arsenal the win as they came from behind. The win was the only victory Arsenal managed against any of the 'big six' clubs, winning just one of 10 games.
Final game: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves (Sunday, May 28, 2023)
The Gunners ended the season in great form, beating Wolves 2-0 at the Emirates. Nketiah bagged his 13th goal of the season, whilst Albert Sambi Lokonga also got in on the act. So, after 38 league games, how did Arsenal do in the Premier League? Could Arsenal challenge for the top-four?
2022/23 Premier League final standings
Arsenal finished fifth once again in the Premier League, failing to improve on last season and earn Champions League qualification. Arteta's side did earn four more points than last season though, with the Gunners only missing out on goal difference.
Overall, according to Football Manager 2022's Premier League simulation for the 2022/23 campaign, Arsenal's young squad could be one of the best sides in the league when facing any of the non 'big six' clubs, but ultimately, their poor performances against the big sides saw them miss out on a top-four spot. Just one win in 10 against 'big six' opposition was Arteta's downfall, potentially showing players with big-game experience could be needed this summer.
Would you be happy with these results for Arsenal next season? Let us know in the comments below!
