The need for the riches as much as the prestige of a return to Champions League football leaves Arsenal little room for error when Chelsea visit the Emirates on Saturday. A run of three defeats in their last six Premier League games has left the fifth-placed Gunners six points adrift of their London rivals in the battle for a top-four finish.

However, it is Chelsea and not Arsenal who are reinforcing in the January transfer window to ensure they are not forced to cope with the consolation prize of the Europa League for a second consecutive season.