Arsenal have emerged as unlikely Premier League title contenders after winning six of their opening seven league games, but their credentials will be put to the ultimate test over the next six weeks as the fixtures begin to pile up ahead of the World Cup.
Mikel Arteta may have fallen short in his bid to end Arsenal's multi-year exile from the Champions League, but the Spaniard did manage to bring the feel-good factor back to the Emirates and repair the disconnect that had grown between the club and it's fanbase.
But the onus is now on Arteta to go one further following another summer of significant backing. No Premier League side spent more than the Gunners did 12 months ago, and the club invested heavily again in the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira during the off-season.
