Mikel Arteta’s men are flying high; The league leaders are cruising, and their victory away from home against Tottenham for the first time since 2014 demonstrates how far they have come.
On Sunday, the Gunners made their intentions clear from the start of the game against Spurs, with lethal right-wing attacks, while the duo of Martin Odegaard and Bakayo Saka frequently caused problems.
Saka sent a strike towards the near post from the inside-right channel that deflected, but Hugo Lloris put the ball in his own net after failing to catch it in the 14th minute.
The Gunners were not done, as their captain, Odegaard, scored their second goal in the 36th minute with a left-footed long-range effort from 20 yards, assisted by Saka.
Antonio Conte’s men who are now fifth in the league standings with 33 points, fought harder in the second half, but they couldn’t beat Aaron Ramsdale between the posts. English captain Harry Kane was a shadow of himself, and Son Heung-Min struggled to make an impact.
It was a Derby Day joy for the Gunners; many questioned their title credentials before the game, but they responded emphatically.
Manchester United, who have recently found their winning formula having won all their last seven games in all competitions, will face Arsenal next Sunday at the Emirates Stadium as both teams look to secure their place in the top four brackets.
The last time Arsenal were eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table was in the 2003-04 season when they won the title with an 11-point difference from the runners-up.
