Arsenal have been excellent in their march to the top of the Premier League this season, boasting just three defeats all season to sit eight points clear with 10 matches to go.
To get Arsenal to this point, Mikel Arteta has relied on a core group of players and he has shunned the chance to rotate. That is despite this season being one of the busiest in history due to the World Cup being crowbarred in the middle of it.
Arteta has made the least changes to his starting XI of any Premier League manager this season, while Arsenal’s substitutes have also played the least minutes. So far it has worked wonders, with the Gunners’ continuity undoubtedly helping them remain consistent.
The fear will be, however, that as the fixtures ramp up in April and May that Arsenal’s players start to burn out. The likes of Bukayo Saka have had gruelling seasons, with the World Cup only adding to the minutes they have had to contend with, while Thomas Partey and William Saliba are fitness doubts heading into the run-in.
Arsenal will point to their January additions as reasons why they can cope with a busy end to the season, bringing in Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho and Leandro Trossard, with the latter two so far looking like inspired signings.
They will really show their worth over the next few weeks, however, as the business end of the season begins. Arsenal have lasted the pace all season, now they must continue to do so or risk falling at the final hurdle.
