Arsenal on board away from Tottenham. Then defeated Liverpool. And now the Gunners will spend another few days at the top of the Premier League table after another win over Chelsea.
After Manchester City made it to the top on Saturday thanks to Penalty from Erling Haaland in the 95th minute Facing Fulham, Arsenal replied with a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Mikel Arteta’s side are two points clear of second-placed City after 13 games.
City, chasing a fifth title in six seasons, will return to the top if they beat Brentford at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday in the early kick-off (12.30 GMT).
However, Arsenal can spend the next six weeks at the top if they beat Wolves at Molineux on the same day in the late kick-off (7.45pm).
There are no Premier League games between November 13 and December 26 due to the World Cup, which starts on November 20.
Arteta said his players reached a « new level » in their win over Chelsea, Arsenal’s 11th victory of the season.
« They’re a very young side, but they’ve played like a very mature side and that’s a big step against this opposition, » the Arsenal boss said.
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Arteta plays down title talk
Arsenal have won three consecutive Premier League matches against so-called ‘big six’ opponents for the first time since April 2012.
They are the only team to have scored in every top-flight game so far this season, but no team have kept more clean sheets than the Gunners so far (6).
They’re averaging 2.61 points per game after dropping just five points all season. If they continue at this rate they will finish with 99 points, six more than City last season when they won the league.
Despite his team’s excellent start to the campaign, Arteta is unwilling to talk about his side’s credentials as title contenders.
Arsenal end the season 24 points behind champions Manchester City, and the Spaniard said: “We are improving as a team and competing much better.
“We are getting very good results at the moment, but it’s a long, long time.
“Just look at the last six years, what Manchester City are doing. With the best manager in the world, the best team in the world.
“They showed it consistently in every competition. We have to be very, very respectful of that. »
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« Arsenal are wonderful to watch »
Arteta gets closer to his third birthday in charge of the shooter.
He led them to two eighth places before sealing fifth place last season, two points off a Champions League position.
« Arsenal are a team that needs to be prepared three times over, » former Fulham and Bournemouth boss Scott Parker told BT Sport.
Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand believed the Gunners were rewarded for the rest of the art by coming under pressure after three straight league defeats at the start of last season.
“Look at the managers who had your success and they had time. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola had time,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.
“Now Arteta is following this. We have the feeling that something is happening at Arsenal. Is this team the real deal? You can feel something picked.
“There is an authority over the way they play. It’s wonderful to watch. We’ve all questioned this team, but they’re making it look easy right now. »
« Beaten by the best team »
Chelsea are in seventh place, five points off a Champions League spot after a fourth league defeat in 13 matches.
They have failed to win any of their last four Premier League games and have lost back-to-back top-flight games for the first time since December 2020, under Frank Lampard.
Patron Graham Potter said his team « lacks a bit of quality » against Arsenal.
« The effort was there, we were just beaten by the better team, » said Potter, who took charge after Thomas Tuchel was sacked in September.
“It’s an indication of where we are and what we need to do better. Mikel Arteta has done a good job, they are well placed and we are slightly different. »
Chelsea face Manchester City away in a Carabao Cup hat-trick on Wednesday (8:00 p.m.), then a day at Newcastle in the same form (5:30 p.m.) before the World Cup break.
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