Arsenal‘s 4-1 demolition of Tottenham extended their lead at the Premier League summit to six points after 12 matches, with Manchester City and Liverpool both dropping points over the weekend. The Gunners’ emphatic victory showcased three qualities that suggest they’ll finally end their 22-year title drought.
Depth Finally Matches Elite Standards
Arsenal fielded Piero Hincapie at centre-back on his full Premier League debut due to Gabriel Magalhaes’ injury, yet didn’t drop defensive standards. Mikel Merino operated as emergency striker with Viktor Gyokeres sidelined, providing the assist for Leandro Trossard’s opener while linking play intelligently. Noni Madueke returned from injury late, immediately creating chances.
Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice Arsenal Tottenham
Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice (via Arsenal/IG)
This squad depth has been Arsenal’s missing ingredient during previous title challenges. When Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Martinelli are all unavailable simultaneously, Arsenal still demolished their biggest rivals 4-1 at the Emirates.
Manchester City and Liverpool cannot claim similar resilience when missing key players—City have dropped points against Bournemouth and Brighton recently, while Liverpool’s narrow squad is already showing cracks.
Set-Piece Dominance Creates Unfair Advantage
Arsenal have scored 15 of their 21 Premier League goals from set pieces this season, a 71% conversion rate unprecedented in competition history. Declan Rice’s corner delivery forced Guglielmo Vicario into multiple saves, while his volleyed effort from Eberechi Eze’s flick nearly opened scoring within three minutes.
Arsenal West Ham United 3 things learned
Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori (Via X-Arsenal)
Gabriel’s absence removes Arsenal’s most dangerous aerial threat, yet they still controlled Tottenham through sheer variety of set-piece routines. When Arsenal generate 8-10 corners per match and convert 15% of them—double the league average—they essentially guarantee one goal from dead balls alone. Add open-play quality and opponents need perfection to avoid defeat.
Teams that build title victories require multiple routes to goal. Arsenal possess elite set-piece execution, individual brilliance (Eze’s hat-trick), and tactical superiority that overwhelms opponents across 90 minutes.
Psychological Advantage Over Rivals Established
Arsenal sit six points clear with a game in hand over Manchester City, who’ve now lost three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time under Pep Guardiola. Liverpool trail by six points after drawing with Southampton, exposing their inability to break down defensive blocks consistently.
More importantly, Arsenal’s mentality has transformed. Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick in the North London derby—the first Arsenal player to achieve this since 1978. The confidence flowing through this squad is palpable. They’ve won 11 of their last 12 matches, scoring 33 goals while conceding just eight.
Mikel Arteta Secret Weapon Liverpool Manchester City
Mikel Arteta (Via The Independent)
When Arsenal dominated Tottenham 4-1 despite missing five first-team regulars, it sent a message to title rivals: even our rotated squad destroys your best efforts. That psychological blow cannot be understated as the season enters its crucial winter period where fixture congestion separates champions from challengers.