It’s looking increasingly like Arsenal is the real deal in the English Premier League.
It’s also looking like Liverpool hasn’t got what it takes to mount another title challenge.
Arsenal made it seven wins from eight games to open the season by beating Tottenham 3-1 in the north London derby on Sunday (NZ time), ensuring Mikel Arteta’s team will stay top for at least another week.
The only defeat for Arsenal came at Manchester United, but that was only after an encouraging and dominant performance for large spells at Old Trafford.
On current form, it looks well within Arsenal’s grasp to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2017.
Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka were the scorers for Arsenal, who cruised to the win at Emirates Stadium as Tottenham played with 10 men from the 62nd minute. Emerson Royal’s red card was for a needless studs-up challenge on Gabriel Martinelli when the score was 2-1.
Harry Kane equalised via a penalty for Tottenham, who would have climbed above Arsenal into first with a win but instead saw their 13-game unbeaten run in the league – stretching back to last season – come to an end.
City can climb back to a point behind Arsenal with a win over cross-town rivals Manchester United on Monday (NZT).
“It’s a really hungry and humble team, believe me,” Arteta said. “It’s nothing that we have done yet and there’s still a lot of things to improve. That’s the direction we’re taking.”
Leandro Trossard scored twice in the opening 17 minutes and completed his hat-trick in the 83rd at Anfield after Roberto Firmino’s double sparked Liverpool’s fightback.
Liverpool, the 2020 champions and the biggest league rivals of dominant Manchester City in recent years, are already 11 points behind Arsenal and have won only two of their first seven games.
All Whites star Chris Wood was an unused substitute as Newcastle won 4-1 at 10-man Fulham, while Everton rallied to beat Southampton 2-1 on the road, Brentford played out a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth and West Ham sealed a 2-0 home victory over Wolves.
