Arsenal Premier League title verdict reached as rivals falter to put Gunners in pole position

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It was the perfect weekend for Arsenal as they secured their seventh win from nine Premier League games to remain top of the pile come Sunday evening.

The Gunners downed Crystal Palace thanks to a goal from Eberechi Eze and start the week with a four point lead over those in second. Crucially though they are even further ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City - their two title challengers.

For Mikel Arteta it has been an era of near misses having finished second for the past three years. Now though his side look primed to end a title drought that dates back to Arsene Wenger's Invincibles.

Liverpool's early promise has died off and they're in the midst of a four-match losing run with Arne Slot currently having no answers. Pep Guardiola's side were beaten at Aston Villa and have already lost three times this term.

It means that Arsenal have a comfortable lead over those chasing them and have recovered excellently from their loss at Liverpool, which saw criticism come their way, to establish themselves as the title favourites.

We've been here before though. Several years ago they started fast and sat top for much of the campaign before a late collapse saw City swoop in. A year later and they fluffed their lines late on against Villa. But is this finally their moment? Mirror Football's writers give their thoughts.

If Arsenal don't go on to win the title this season, Arteta should be sacked. He will never get a better chance than this to lead his team to the ultimate domestic glory. Arsenal have flattered to deceive in recent seasons, coming up short.

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But mistakes of the past appear to have been learned from, while Arsenal's miserly defence smacks of being one which belongs to a champion side. Throw in the fact Liverpool and City are not the juggernauts they used to be, and it all points to Arsenal coming out on top for change.

Arsenal finish their campaign with games against Fulham , West Ham , Burnley and Crystal Palace, but I expect it to be all done and dusted before then.

I mean cast your minds back just over a month and we were having this same conversation about Liverpool so it shows how quickly things can change. Arsenal have put themselves in a good position but they're by no means uncatchable, even if their rivals are faltering.

Arteta's side have shown, as impressive as they can be, that they have a blip in them and whilst their depth is top class it would only take an injury to William Saliba for the rhythm to be broken.

They will no doubt be scarred by the events of previous years, when they must've thought they were almost home. They may look at Liverpool and City and think they just don't have a seven, eight, nine match winning run in them - and that may be true - but Arsenal can certainly be reeled in, no matter how good they look right now.

While it looks like the race to avoid relegation could be a lot more exciting this year, the hallmarks for a title procession are already beginning to show. While we've previously seen City and Liverpool bludgeon their way to the title with an avalanche of goals, Arsenal are proving there is more than one way to skin a cat. Or indeed win the Premier League.

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They're not going to win any prizes for aesthetics, but who cares? Yesterday's victory over Crystal Palace was a perfect example of just why the Gunners are going to be so difficult to stop this season.

It wasn't pretty, but they were only ever going to win that game 1-0. Arteta has built what might just be the top flight's best defensive unit since John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho built a brick wall in the Stamford Bridge six-yard box.

City are still rebuilding, Liverpool are in a rapidly deepening hole and there simply aren't any other realistic challengers to Arsenal. It's difficult to see how they don't finally get the monkey off their back this term.

As it stands, Arsenal look to be as close to the real deal as they have ever been. The Gunners are by far and away the most consistent side in the Premier League and should they retain that consistency, there is a very real possibility that they could be lifting the title in May.

Therein lies their problem though. There remains a question over whether they can actually do that. Of course, the current six-point advantage over City is a real bonus but that could disappear within a handful of games. It’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that City can win ten games in a row and seize top spot.

Guardiola has put together a relentless winning machine at the Etihad. It’s only a matter of time before they really click into gear.

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And you have to wonder whether that pressure would see Arsenal wilt slightly. In a league as brutal as the Premier League, you can’t afford to do that. After all, we’ve all seen it before.

Arsenal have been here before - several times - and not gone on to win the Premier League so do not, for one minute, think the title race is done and dusted. And if you think the bookmakers’ odds of 1/2 are worth taking, you must be daft.

Yes, they have a magnificent defence, that is for sure. Yes, they clearly carry all sorts of threats from attacking set-pieces. But as highly competent as they are, is Arteta’s team one that should strike fear into the opposition in every single game? In the same way as, say, Manchester City did in their title-winning heyday?

Absolutely not. Liverpool have beaten Arsenal, City took a draw from the Emirates, and Manchester United were unlucky to lose by the only goal at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the season.

The powerhouses will come good again and there is a swathe of teams who were probably earmarked for mid-table that now look capable of challenging further up the table, Spurs being one of them. In the Premier League, Arsenal are in the best form right now but to suggest the title is now a formality is ludicrous.

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