After a disappointing exit from the FA Cup at Stoke at the weekend, Arsenal followed up with a goalless draw at Aston Villa on Wednesday night. This was the first of a run of four games that could very well determine whether the Gunners are serious challengers for the title this season.

In truth, the draw at Villa Park was probably a fair result. The home team had the single best chance of the match and the better of the first half. For their part, Arsene Wenger’s side looked more dangerous in the second period and hit the woodwork in both halves.

Though Arsenal brushed Villa aside at Ashburton Grove over Christmas, Martin O’Neill’s team are a different proposition on home turf having already beaten Chelsea there. It turned out to be a low-quality match on Wednesday night with neither team particularly deserving of all three points. That said, title-winners often win matches that they don’t deserve and these are the sort of games that the Gunners really need to start nicking if they are to make the dream of winning the Premier League a reality.

Ultimately, looking at this critical run of four matches, a draw at Villa is not a disaster and will look a much better outcome if the Gunners can beat Manchester United at home on Sunday. Disappointingly, United have begun to rediscover their form lately. Most of this seems down to Wayne Rooney’s recent individual exploits. It would be great to think that merely stopping Rooney on Sunday would be the key to three points but Alex Ferguson will have every player in his team really wound up for this match as it is as important to them as it is to us.

Both Arsenal and United have had problems defensively this season and one suspects that whichever team has the best day at the back on Sunday will prevail. The Gunners delivered a spirited performance at Old Trafford earlier in the season but the combination of a debateable penalty and a disastrous own goal by Abou Diaby meant they suffered a defeat when they deserved a lot better. We can only hope that the same misfortune does not befall us on Sunday. The players should need no motivation to win the game. Apart from this being a potential pivotal match in the title race, personal pride ought to mean that they want to right the wrongs of the away encounter back in August.

Sunday also signals the close of the mid-season transfer window. It is disappointing that, with only a few days to go, there is very little sign that Arsene Wenger is going to further add to his squad to help in the push for honours at the end of the season. As frustrating as that is, it is hardly unexpected. During January we have seen Sol Campbell be signed until the end of the season and Jack Wilshere go off to Bolton on loan. Neither of these moves will appease supporters - most of whom are crying out for the forward line to be reinforced and the defence to be bolstered.

Though Campbell has looked reasonably solid in his outings against Stoke and Villa, he is not a long-term solution. The news that Thomas Vermaelen might have broken his leg in the midweek match showed how alarming Arsenal’s defensive situation is. Fortunately, the Belgian’s injury turned out to be minor but the scare showed that it would only take one bad challenge for the Gunners to be left short in the centre of defence and reliant on a 36-year-old to last out until May.

As for Wilshere, many fans think he ought to have been given a more of chance this season. If Arsene Wenger can find the space to assimilate Aaron Ramsey into the first team, then why not Jack Wilshere? The manager seems happy to give players like Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela endless opportunities and yet this pair have been little more than passengers this season who have contributed zero to the campaign. Similarly, players like Abou Diaby get game after game when they are hopelessly out of form whilst Wilshere, who is the most exciting prospect the club has seen since Cesc Fabregas made his mark, doesn’t get a look in. The positive side of Wilshere’s move is that the young man will get some serious game-time at Bolton and acquire valuable Premier League experience to bring back with him.

So, it would seem that Arsene Wenger is ready to gamble on the players he has. If the Gunners win a trophy, the manager will feel vindicated in his decision. If the team yet again promise much and deliver nothing though, the Frenchman will feel the heat like never before. Arsenal are in a situation where they could still win the title. It is going to take a gargantuan effort and a bus-load of belief from the players to pull it off and should they fail or fall away before May, many will question Wenger’s failure to strengthen the squad when he had the chance.