Although Arsenal had an extremely impressive summer transfer window ahead of the 2022/23 season, it is highly unlikely anyone would have predicted they would be top of the Premier League on New Year's Day. Not only that Mikel Arteta's side are seven points clear of the nearest challengers, winning 14 of their 16 league games this season
A thrilling 4-2 win over Brighton saw the Gunners take advantage of Manchester City dropping points to Everton earlier in the day after Demarai Gray cancelled out Erling Haaland's opener. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli all found the back of the net, although Arsenal's performance was not without it's faults, with Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson both scoring for Brighton.
Nonetheless those three points placed the Gunners on a tally of 43 from a possible 48, with the defeat to Manchester United and draw with Southampton the only blemishes on their record this season. High up on the list of people least expecting Arsenal to challenge beyond achieving a top four place appears to be Gary Neville after his damning Arteta and Arsenal claim from ten months ago has resurfaced.
