With 22 wins from 28 Premier League games this season, Arsenal have comfortably shown they can handle the big occasions. The Gunners have secured victories against Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and a double over north London rivals Tottenham for the first time since the 2013/14 campaign.
Mikel Arteta's men have been relentless on several occasions from the off, but they have also had to show considerable guile and determination to come from behind. Fulham, West Ham, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth have all been in front against Arsenal at points this season but on all five occasions, the league leaders have come away with maximum points.
With ten league games left to play, and meetings against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City to come, it is highly unlikely Arsenal will calmly gallop to the title. There is an eight-point gap to Pep Guardiola's side, but their game in hand and eventual clash with the Gunners could see that drop down to two.
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Arsenal will need their big-game players for the run-in. The fitness of Tomas Partey will be crucial along with the returning Gabriel Jesus but it is Bukayo Saka who will be the man expected to step up, as he has already done on many occasions this season.
Despite only being 21, the Hale End graduate has become Arsenal's star man notching his 12th goal of the season in the 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace. Arsenal were already in command thanks to a goal from Gabriel Martinelli, but Saka has provided plenty of goals and assists in crucial moments on numerous occasions throughout the season that places him in a similar bracket alongside two of the best footballers in the world.
A stat posted by OptaJoe on Twitter revealed that Saka is second for the most goals and assists in Europe's top five leagues this season when scores are level. Paris-Saint Germain duo Neymar and Lionel Messi sandwich the Arsenal winger with the latter occupying the top spot.
Messi has grabbed five goals and nine assists when games are at a stalemate with Saka closely behind on six goals and six assists. Neymar closes out the top three having scored seven goals and four assists, with Antoine Griezmann and Victor Osimhen both also on 11 contributions.
Of those six goals and six assists for Saka as a game-changer, two came in the 3-2 victory against Liverpool, with a crucial goal and assist later arriving in narrow victories against Manchester United and Chelsea.
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