Arsenal's meteoric rise from top-four disappointment last season to title challengers just one-year on wasn't foreseen by many. However, the reality is that this side seems set to stay at the top under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta and his young squad that may only get better.
The side currently sit six points clear at the top of the table, but having played one game more than rivals Manchester City and with a head-to-head lying in wait at the end of this month, it's a huge test for where this side really are. For the mastermind behind this rise, the details have been on the finer points surrounding life at the Emirates Stadium.
"You go day by day honestly," Arteta responded ahead of this weekend's clash with West Ham when asked if he foresaw this title challenge eight months ago. "There is so much that happens in a month in football that you cannot really look. Obviously, the aim was to take this football club back where it belongs and that’s fighting and being around every single trophy possible. That’s what we’re trying to do."
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It's perhaps that view and understanding of how to manage the finer points of the club that have brought the team to their heights. It's something that was certainly suggested by star striker Gabriel Jesus when he discussed how the club have managed to return to the top.
Speaking with BBC Sport on Football Focus, the Brazilian said: "It's like the club already have the idea of where they wanna go, you know, when they start doing the works inside. I'm not saying me, myself only, but everyone who has stayed here for us and everyone that has come has helped a lot."
It's not the first time Jesus has worked with Arteta, having previously played under the coach during their time together at Manchester City. Discussing the impact of his head coach on the title run, the forward added: "First, we know each other a long time ago, you know, and I was training with him at City a lot. You know I was running in a bad period of not scoring goals and he just show me some clips of my goals, of my chances in that time and that helped me a lot.
"He's this type of manager, looking for everyone, take care of everyone, not just players but everyone at the club."
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