Arsenal head into Monday night’s clash with Burnley knowing they are now just two games away from potentially ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League title.
After the resilience they showed against West Ham United last weekend, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see the Gunners letting this opportunity slip from their grasp.
There was nothing glamorous about the 1-0 win at the London Stadium.
For long periods Arsenal looked tense, short of rhythm and weighed down by the pressure of the moment, but champions are often defined less by their fluent victories and more by the difficult games they somehow survive.
That was the feeling surrounding Arsenal after Leandro Trossard’s late winner and the dramatic VAR intervention that denied West Ham an equaliser in stoppage time.
It was the type of afternoon title-winning teams usually come through.
The Gunners now return to the Emirates Stadium for their final home league game of the season with the chance to move another step closer to glory, while maintaining pressure on Manchester City, who are still waiting for any slip-up.
There will naturally be a huge sense of occasion around the stadium.
Supporters know they could be watching the closing stages of a title-winning campaign that has felt painfully close on several occasions under Mikel Arteta before now.
The atmosphere should reflect that tension and excitement.
Arsenal’s home form also gives them every reason for confidence.
They have won their last three league games at the Emirates without conceding, while the overall level of control they have shown in North London throughout the campaign has been one of the foundations of their title challenge.
Burnley, meanwhile, arrive with their relegation already confirmed, but that does not necessarily make them easy opponents.
If anything, their situation removes a layer of pressure.
Their 2-2 draw against Aston Villa last weekend showed they are still capable of playing with freedom and causing problems when allowed space.
Arsenal will also be aware that matches like these can quickly become uncomfortable if the breakthrough does not come early.
The expectation from the crowd, the knowledge of what is at stake and City remaining close behind all add another psychological dimension to the game.
That is why Arteta will probably care less about style and far more about control.
The resilience Arsenal showed against West Ham may ultimately prove more important than any of their dominant wins earlier in the season because it demonstrated a side finally capable of handling the emotional demands of a title race deep into May.
There was a point earlier this spring when Arsenal looked as though they were drifting towards another collapse after a damaging run of form.
Instead, they have responded with maturity and composure.
Now they stand on the verge of turning a brilliant season into a historic one.
Burnley are unlikely to simply roll over, but Arsenal have reached the stage where results matter more than performances.
If they maintain the discipline and focus they showed in East London, it would be a major surprise if they failed to take another decisive step towards the Premier League crown on Monday night.
