Premier League 2016/17: Analysing the festive period fixtures for the top 6

Arsenal (Currently 4^th – 34 points)

Theo Walcott celebrates scoring Arsenal’s equaliser against Stoke City at the Emirates Stadium last weekend

Fixtures: West Brom(H), Crystal Palace(H), Bournemouth(A)

After the disappointment of the loss against Manchester City, Arsenal have three relatively easy fixtures over the festive period. They play West Brom and Crystal Palace at home on the 26^th of December and the 1^st of January respectively, before travelling to Bournemouth on the 3^rd of January.

The Bournemouth fixture will be made much easier for Arsenal by Jack Wilshere’s ineligibility to play against his parent club. Wilshere has been a significant part of most good things that Bournemouth have done on the pitch recently and he will be a huge miss for the Cherries in that game.

West Brom are playing pretty well, but at the Emirates, Arsenal should be putting teams like the Baggies away in their sleep. The first day of 2017 sees them play a Palace side who have had a nightmare 2016 and will be looking for a fresh start in the new year.

Sportskeeda Prediction: Arsenal to win all three games comfortably and leapfrog Manchester City and get out of the dreaded fourth position.