Another matchday at Emirates Stadium is finished and the end result is the same as it so often has been this season - three points to Arsenal.
Leeds United were dismantled 4-1 by the hosts, the club's marquee summer signing Gabriel Jesus starred on his first league start in four months. That result means that after 29 league fixtures, Arsenal have now accumulated just one less point than they managed during their famous 'Invincibles' campaign back in 2003/04.
But why doesn't the hype feel the same? The Gunners are no longer just happy to be spoken in the same breath as Manchester City. So far this season, they have been the better team, at least domestically.
READ MORE: Arsenal on track to smash 'Invincibles' record as Mikel Arteta continues Premier League title run
But some myths continue to surround Mikel Arteta and co, so football.london has taken some time to dispel them.
Leicester myth
Football fans rarely come together to support one team but that's exactly what happened when it looked like Leicester City could actually win the title back in 2016. The Foxes' story was genuinely reminiscent of something from a Hollywood fairytale flick, narrowly avoiding relegation before being crowned the champions of England in the span of just 12 months.
But let's be frank. This Arsenal team, if they do go on to win the title, are not comparable to Leicester despite what some have suggested.
Speaking to ICE 36, former Chelsea and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson said: “My point was that Arsenal are a bit like Leicester. When Leicester won the league, everyone else was rubbish and they did not get close to winning the title again,”
“The following season, they were nowhere near it. Arsenal are probably good enough to win the league this year, but I don’t expect them to retain the title because all of the other big clubs will improve and bounce back.”
Leicester finished that season with 81 points, winning 23 of their 38 matches. For context, Arsenal have already won 23 of their 29 outings, accruing 72 points in the process. The Gunners are effectively on track to finish with 94 points - a tally that only five teams in Premier League history have bettered.
In reality, if Liverpool or Chelsea produced the season that Arsenal are currently having, these kinds of comparisons would not be happening, it is merely because Arteta's men have made such a significant jump since last season when they finished fifth in the league.
Of course, this is not to diminish Leicester's remarkable achievement but it is finally time to consider that this Arsenal team may not be punching above their weight. Maybe this is just where they belong.
Competition myth
Considering how poorly some of the Premier League's so-called big six clubs have performed this season, it has been commonplace to suggest that Arsenal won't have this kind of chance again. This is somewhat true given how disappointing the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool have been but also suggests that we consistently see four or five teams finish on 90-plus points - something that has never happened.
In reality, every other team to register 71 points or more at this stage of the season has been first in the standings going into the final nine fixtures. The north Londoners are by no means guaranteed to clinch the title come May but if they had performed to the same level in any other campaign, they would still *checks notes* be first going into the final two months of the season.
The competition hasn't magically gotten worse, it is because the quality gap between the top clubs and so-called 'lesser teams' has diminished, with increased revenue helping the latter improve dramatically according to none other than City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. Speaking last month, the Belgian international said: "It's been fine this year, the league has changed a bit. The lower teams are able to spend more money and buy better players, all teams have so much quality.
"The level of difficulty is getting tougher. We are second, in three competitions. In comparison with other years, I feel not different. There are some games we should have won, it depends."
Bottom of the league Southampton have one of the most exciting young talents in the country in the form of Romeo Lavia whilst nineteenth-placed Leicester City employ England international and £70 million-rated James Maddison. It is a cliche to say there is no such thing as an easy game but this season's Premier League has been the epitome of this, with just seven points separating 20th and 12th.
Never again myth
Another misconception we have seen this season is the notion that Arsenal won't be title challengers again in the near future. Of course, this is the first time in a long time that we have seen the Gunners as one of the top sides in the English top flight but what reason is there to suggest they will decline next term?
In Arteta, they have the second-youngest manager in the league, a coach who continues to mature and evolve tactically with more experience under his belt. Then you look at the squad, which is also the second-youngest in the league.
Wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are both 21-years-old, midfield general Martin Odegaard and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale are both 24-years-old. Centre-back pairing William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are 22 and 25 respectively. Even the more experienced duo of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko are both 26.
This team is only going to improve. Some pundits and fans alike thought the end-of-season collapse last year would be the beginning of the end for Arteta and co but they couldn't have been more wrong. The team going through that pain and disappointment has only improved them mentally.
Whether or not Arsenal win this season's title remains to be seen but this team isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
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