Why an Away Trip to Norwich City Is the True Test of Arsenal's Title Credentials

When Arsenal travel to Norwich City on Sunday, there will be more at stake than just three Premier League points. The Gunners go to Carrow Road determined to protect their credibility as title challengers.

That’s not because Norwich will represent the most stern test of Arsenal’s abilities. Since going unbeaten throughout September, Alex Neil’s men have found points far harder to come by. The Canaries are now perilously close to the relegation zone, with only three points separating them from the teams earmarked for the drop. A win over a struggling Norwich side is not necessarily the stuff of potential champions.

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However, the reason this game is so important is that it’s a vital chance for Arsenal to re-establish some momentum. After a strong autumn, there are signs the Gunners may be beginning to stumble.

In each of the last two rounds of Premier League fixtures, Arsene Wenger’s men have had the chance to seize the initiative at the top of the table. However, they snatched a point after being largely outplayed by Tottenham Hotspur in a 1-1 derby draw. Then they travelled to West Bromwich Albion with hopes of securing top spot, only to throw away a lead and lose 2-1.

Although they bounced back with a convincing win over Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League, they need to deliver domestically, too.

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After all, this is when Arsenal’s assaults on the title traditionally come apart. November has historically been a difficult month for Wenger—it’s when fixtures and injuries begin to pile up simultaneously.

The Gunners boss seems mindful of the need to bounce back and show the West Brom game was little more than a blip. He told Arsenal's website:

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I believe we were very unlucky to lose at West Brom and you have to take a distance with the result a little, even if it is really disappointing for us to lose.

You have to show after that it was an accident and the way we responded on Tuesday night was therefore vital. After that the confidence can drop quickly so it was important for us to respond quickly and keep our chances alive in the Champions League.

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Although Arsenal still have a chance of progressing in Europe, Wenger will be acutely aware their best chance of major silverware remains in the Premier League. The table is compressed right now, but the hectic schedule of the festive season presents an opportunity for a front-runner to break away. Arsenal must make sure they keep up, or ideally even set the pace.

In less than a month, Arsenal have a huge match against Manchester City—arguably their strongest rivals for the Premier League crown. Wenger will be desperate for his team to go into that game with some positive results behind them, and the Norwich match represents the start of a relatively kind run of fixtures.

Arsenal ought to have built some momentum against West Brom, but they slipped. They cannot afford to be so careless again. At Carrow Road, we may discover if this Arsenal side is the real deal or just another group of pretenders.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.