As the world's best players travel to Qatar for the World Cup starting on Sunday, the Premier League is preparing for a step into the unknown.
For the first time, the tournament is taking place in the middle of the domestic season and, for a period of time which will be defined by how well each national team performs in the Middle East, clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool have waved goodbye to their superstars at a crucial point in the campaign.
Arsenal, chasing a first title since 2004, opened up a five-point gap at the top of the table with a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final Saturday before the break, and afterward manager Mikel Arteta admitted that, for the next six weeks, he will be relying on blind luck.