According to The Times journalist Bill Edgar, Arsenal is set to become the first club in the history of top-flight football to play four consecutive away matches across four different competitions within just ten days. This grueling mid-January schedule follows their high-stakes home clash against Liverpool on January 7, 2026, and represents a massive logistical and physical challenge for Mikel Arteta’s squad as they maintain their title charge.

The historic sequence begins with an FA Cup trip to Portsmouth, followed immediately by a high-intensity League Cup semi-final at Chelsea. The Gunners will then travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League before concluding the marathon in Italy with a vital Champions League fixture against Inter Milan. Never before has a top-tier team navigated four distinct major tournaments exclusively on the road in such a condensed timeframe.

Managing squad rotation will be critical for Arteta during this period, as the team currently holds a six-point lead in the league while juggling three cup competitions. With key players like Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard having played heavy minutes, the club's medical team will be under immense pressure to prevent fatigue-related injuries. This ten-day "road trip" is widely seen as the definitive test of Arsenal’s squad depth and their resolve to secure a historic multi-trophy season.