Arsenal at a crossroads as pivotal period in quadruple hunt begins with Everton clash

Mikel Arteta badly needs win over the Toffees as Gunners look to Carabao Cup final and crunch European tie

All or nothing: Mikel Arteta is heading into a season-defining run of fixtures

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Rarely have Arsenal found themselves at quite so significant a crossroads.

There has been no shortage of weeks billed as pivotal in the desperate bid to end a 22-year wait for the Premier League , hyped up as tests of the team's mentality and whether they have what it takes.

The next eight days, though, really will shape the direction Arsenal's season will go in. Crunch time has arrived.

Mikel Arteta 's side first host Everton , a team with the fourth-best away record in the Premier League .

It is then back to Champions League action and a showdown with Bayer Leverkusen , before all eyes turn to Wembley and the Carabao Cup final with Manchester City.

The best-case scenario would see the Gunners go into the international break with a ten-point lead at the top of the table, a Champions League quarter-final place secured, and a six-year trophy drought ended.

Arsenal are heading into a pivotal run

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The quadruple push would be guaranteed to extend into April, fuelled by the huge psychology boost of beating City in a final.

Those of a less cheery disposition will not need reminding of an alternative world in which control of the title race is lost and Arsenal are knocked out of two competitions.

Performances have not been at a peak level from the Gunners recently but they have continued to find a way. Do that three more times before the international break and no Arsenal fan will be complaining.

This does have the feel of a weekend that offers an opportunity for Arsenal to make another big move.

Arsenal can’t stop winning despite their imperfect performances

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On paper, at least, the last matchday was one City might have been eyeing as in their favour. They were at home to Nottingham Forest, while Arsenal travelled to Brighton.

The Gunners came away with two points added to their advantage at the top of the table and there could be more gains to be made on Saturday.

Arsenal face Everton before City then make the trip in the late kick-off to take on a West Ham side in form and fighting for their Premier League status.

City were thrashed by Real Madrid in midweek and their visit to the London Stadium comes between the two legs of that blockbuster Champions League tie.

Pep Guardiola on Friday insisted his players cannot afford to already be thinking of the second leg against Real.

"The Premier League is the most difficult title," he said.

Manchester City’s morale has been knocked by a heavy midweek defeat away at Real Madrid

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"The Premier League I believe is the most difficult one and still we are there knowing that if we drop points it will be over."

Those are now the stakes and Arsenal can raise them further by beating Everton , leaving Guardiola's side ten points off the pace by the time they kick-off.

Six of Arsenal's last eight matches have been on the road, and so it is a welcome return to home comforts where they have lost just once all season.

"I think at some stage we had four away from home in a row, some very difficult games as well," Arteta said on Friday.

"But that's the calendar, that's the beauty of it as well. Obviously at home we have been very, very strong and using that in the right way can be the deciding factor."

A deciding factor and potentially a decisive week. When Arsenal come up for breath on the other side of it for the international break, the destination their season is heading for will be much clearer.