3 reasons why Arsenal will finish in the Premier League’s top four

Players in key areas set to return

Wenger had to field Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Francis Coquelin in the centre of midfield against Chelsea last weekend, and both men struggled against the formidable N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic.

However, Mohamed Elneny is back at the club after his African Cup of Nations campaign with Egypt, where he helped his country reach the final, while Grant Xhaka will come back into the fold at the start of March when he’s finished serving his four-match suspension for his red card against Burnley.

Add in that Theo Walcott is returning from injury and looking sharp, as well as a return to the first team for Danny Welbeck, and the Gunners are getting players back in key areas on the pitch.

You can never have too many forward options, so welcoming both Welbeck and Walcott back can only be good for competition, while Elneny and Xhaka give the midfield some much needed steel over the coming months.