Although Arsenal are still in with a shout of earning themselves a Champions League place for next year through the Premier League this season, the chances of this happening are growing slimmer by the day given the lack of consistency they have displayed since the turn of the year.

With this in mind, the Gunners know that they are going to be in for the fight of their season should they fail to defeat AC Milan in the first game of the knockout round of the Champions League.

If the Gunners leave themselves in a position that hints it'll be difficult to progress to the next round when they fly home from Italy, they'll hardly be filled with confidence for travelling to their away fixture at Sunderland. The FA Cup tie in the north-east looks like it might be pretty tricky and punters gambling online think the banana skin could provide a shock.

Therefore both games could go a long way in deciding whether this season, the team will be once more deemed a failure by fans who are growing less and less impressed with the direction the club are heading in.

Although the Gunners results and scores could be far worse, they could also be doing a lot better, and after such a long period of watching other teams pick up silverware, fans of the club aren't going to be happy until once again a cup or two is added to the club's collection.

With the season in its defining moments, and Arsenal fans desperate to see evidence that the club isn't just becoming a talent production line for bigger clubs, the Gunners need to act fast and act big if they want to remove the doubts surrounding the North London club.