LONDON – They can mock Mikel Arteta’s touchline antics, scoff at summer signing Gabriel Jesus being the latest in a long line of injured players, or snigger at Chelsea gazumping them to a much-needed deal for Mykhailo Mudryk.
But with almost half the season gone, rivals and critics can no longer ignore Arsenal’s ascension to the pedestal of title favourites.
Especially after the Gunners emphatically underlined their English Premier League title credentials in the north London derby with a comfortable 2-0 away win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Spurs manager Antonio Conte, who in the build-up questioned Arsenal’s staying power at the top, seems to have become a true believer. He told Sky Sports: “When a team does this, it means they are ready to fight to win the title with Man City.”
The result, coupled with champions Manchester City’s own derby disappointment after a 2-1 defeat by Manchester United on Saturday, leaves Arteta’s side eight points clear of the champions with 20 of their 38 league matches left to play.
As Spurs defender Eric Dier conceded, “they are top for a reason; we just have to move on”. It was as much a message for Tottenham as it was for their great rivals’ detractors.
Arteta, meanwhile, felt his side had taken yet another step forward.
He told Sky Sports: “I loved the way we played and the courage we showed to come here and play... I think today we went another step. We won last season in big stadiums but the way we won today was really pleasing to watch.”
The Premier League crown may be a distant speck on the horizon, but Arsenal are clearly the kings of London this term.
The Gunners, who last won the league in 2003-04, have now won all seven of their capital derbies in the Premier League this season, keeping clean sheets in all four away fixtures.
They opened the scoring in just the 14th minute when Bukayo Saka beat Ryan Sessegnon down the right and sent a ball goalwards. It took a slight deflection off the Spurs wing-back and somehow confounded goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to fumble it into his own net.
It was the French World Cup winner’s first own goal in his 354-game Premier League career. His clanger was in stark contrast to Arsenal’s significantly more callow custodian Aaron Ramsdale, who made several smart stops to deny Spurs.
Such was Spurs’ frustration with him that a fan appeared to kick out at him after the final whistle when he went to retrieve his water bottle following a spat with Richarlison.
Asked about the incident, he told Sky Sports: “The Spurs fans gave me some throughout the game. I was giving some back. The people I did give it to greeted it in sportsmanlike terms but one fan tried to give me a little punch on the back.
“It is a shame, as it is just a game of football, at the end of the day. Both sets of players tried to bring me away but, thankfully, nothing too drastic happened.”
In a strongly worded statement, Tottenham condemned the violence, saying: “We are appalled by the behaviour of a supporter that attempted to attack Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale at the end of today’s match.
“Violence in any form has no place in football.”
The club said that they will work with the police, Arsenal and Ramsdale “to take the strongest possible action, including an immediate ban from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium”.
Ramsdale’s first intervention came on 18 minutes when Sessegnon, who was run ragged by an effervescent Saka, threaded an unexpected reverse pass to AIA Singapore ambassador Son Heung-min deep inside the box, but his shot was parried by the legs of the England goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old also saved a Harry Kane header just before the break and an even better chance by the England captain five minutes after half-time. Soon after, he also stopped a Sessegnon strike after he barrelled his way into the box.
Before all that, though, Arsenal gave Spurs their now-customary, two-goal deficit to try and recover from in the 36th minute.
Lloris, frustrated with the lack of passing options, launched a hopeful punt upfield but it was easily dealt with by the Gunners, who yet again unleashed Saka down the right.
He drove forward before laying the ball back to captain and conductor Martin Odegaard, who scored with a low drive from outside the box.
Spurs were much improved in the second half but this Gunners side were not going to blow a two-goal lead in a north London derby.
They even managed to prevent one of the near certainties in English football – stopping Kane from adding to his 14 goals in 18 north London derby appearances.
Defending champions City are up ahead in a month’s time but, surely, those who said it was too early to take Arsenal’s title tilt seriously – including Arteta himself – must accept that they are no longer the Invisibles.
*Dilenjit Singh’s trip was hosted by Spurs’ global principal partner AIA.
