Arteta is on a mission to make Arsenal real title contenders after going close but ultimately missing out in the past two seasons. The big question is will this be the season that they go all the way and are crowned champions.

He is building a great team and this weekend just gone was a big test for Arsenal as they faced Arsne Slot’s Liverpool. Arsenal were the better team in the first half, and had to finish the game with an unfamiliar back four with Gabriel and Timber going off injured, to join Calafiori who is also out injured, while Saliba was also missing due to suspension.

Arsenal did lead twice, but Salah stepped up as he often does despite an overall uninspiring performance from Liverpool, where they were purely focused on getting the job done. Salah grabbed his 8th goal of the season to make the score 2-2 in the 81st minute, and earn a valuable point.

It was a fair result on balance but both teams were intent on getting all three points, the draw making Man City the real winners as they ended the weekend at the top of the table.

Arsenal are 5 points behind City now, and as we’ve seen time and time again, City don’t often slow down and can have a surge late in the season, so the last thing they will want is to drop any further behind. It means Arsenal likely need a winning streak, although we might expect to see more ups and downs this season, rather than a simple sprint to the title from Pep yet again.

One of the key things is that Pep knows how to win, and that means running the ball into the corner to grab three points even this early in the season.

This is what a winning team shows us, that a man who loves to win with beautiful football also understands that some games are just about getting the job done, when the opponents don’t give you an opportunity to win with entertaining football. They are mature and know getting the win is the only thing that matters.

This season is turning out to be interesting so far, and I’m excited to see how the action unfolds for Arsenal, Liverpool and City, as well of as course Chelsea, and the other teams fighting for Europe, which seems to be a growing list every year. #mmlove