Look at us. How foolish we were. God, the panic could've sparked a stock market crach.
Admittedly, Arsenal were not very good between the October and November international breaks. A four-game winless run was fatal to the club's title chances in the eyes of some. Many were already drafting obituaries.
But I know there were a few of you, the cool-headed folk, who never ceased in their belief of Mikel Arteta's side. You were the ones to understand that Martin Odegaard hadn't succumbed to a tragedy, but a bit of ankle ligament damage. He was always going to come back.
And who would've thought it? The Gunners once again look like a proper team, with their dazzling skipper elevating them in every phase. Their level post-November break reached that of a title-winning side, but their stuttering start to 2024/25 means the gap behind the league leaders is already a sizeable nine points.
Mikel Arteta
Perhaps we can take solace in knowing its not the tyrannical beast from the Etihad leading the way. Pep Guardiola's side initially looked like they'd canter to a fifth-straight league title as they accumulated maximum points through four games, but Rodri's ACL tear has thrust their campaign into unprecedented disarray.
A seven-game winless run in all competitions (before they face Nottingham Forest at home) means City sit fifth in the table with many boasting the belief that things may continue to get worse for Guardiola's men before they improve. There may well be more cries of "sacked in the morning!" ringing around grounds the Cityzens visit over the festive period.
You could never write City off, but I can confidently say that this isn't their year. The title will surely be changing hands.
(DMs are open for slander if they rattle of a 25-game winning run).
If a team were to dethrone the perennial champions this term, the majority projected Arsenal as their usurpers. However, the Gunners, as they were for much of last season, are functioning as the hunters. This time, Liverpool are the target.
Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Manchester City has seen them increase their grip on the Premier League title.
Their win % is now up to 85.1% with the Opta supercomputer 👀
Read more 👇
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) December 1, 2024
The Reds have been nothing short of imperious thus far. Their schedule has supposedly aided their early success under Arne Slot, but we've seen the league leaders dismantle three domestic champions (Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid, and Man City) in the space of a few weeks without conceding a goal. They're the real deal, but tough away fixtures beckon in 2025.
This is no longer a team carried by an unwavering sense of emotion which eventually dissipated during Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge. The German's successor, Arne Slot, has installed a sense of order to the chaos. If Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, their two inevitabilities, stay fit throughout the course of the campaign, it's hard to envisage any team keeping pace.
Their lead is big, but Arsenal's current groove and their tamer set of reverse fixtures means Arteta's men are more than capable of eating into the current deficit. A nine-point gap is hardly an impossible one to overcome. We've seen teams blow double-digit leads at the top of the Premier League as late as December on seven occasions - via Opta Analyst.
Arsenal themselves overcame a wretched October and a 13-point deficit to Manchester United in 1997/98 to claim their first Premier League title.
In the blink of an eye, the dynamic at the summit can alter, especially with the hectic nature of the festive period. We can't envisage a sudden Liverpool collapse, but they will have their moment. A blip will arrive at some point, but Arsenal must position themselves to pounce.
Their woes towards the end of Odegaard's recovery means the margin for error is so small, but history and their majestic apex with a fully-functioning squad means Arsenal are not out of the title race just yet.
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!