Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to 11 games after seeing off a spirited Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League in Portugal.
The gunners made hard work of it and scored the lone goal of the match in the dying seconds of the game, after a defensive lapse from Sporting saw Welbeck clean through on goal, and his low fierce shot beat the keeper.
This is Arsenal’s longest winning streak since 2017 and Emery’s side are just two wins away from a record equalling streak.
Everyone believed Arsenal were going to struggle after Arsene Wenger left, but after losing the first two games, the reverse is the case and the team are now soaring and playing with a new found confidence.
So, are they now contenders for the Premier League title?
That isn’t so easy to answer as football isn’t mathematics, but based on the past two months, they are as good, if not better than all other big teams in the division, save for Manchester City and maybe Liverpool.
While the champions remain the team to beat, Liverpool has shown they will be in the mix at the end of the season and with Chelsea also rediscovering their form post Conte, it makes the season a very interesting one to predict. Manchester United are victims of Mourinho’s “third season syndrome” and Tottenham, while still there about, don’t have the resources to mount a sustained title charge, especially after the Summer they had where they failed to buy a single player.
Any one amongst the current top four will win it, and the CL qualification is already starring us in the face. Question is, in what order?
Over the last decade, no Premier League Champion have retained their title the following season – and that is why the EPL is regarded as the best league in the world. City is aiming to do just that, and they remain firm favourites, but others, including Arsenal, should fancy their chances, and rightly so.