Arsenal's win at Tottenham perfect appetiser for Manchester City's Premier League hearing

In the early weeks of every new season they take on a life of their own: maybe Chelsea were right to sign all those players because they just scored six at Wolves, Liverpool can win the title because they (expectedly) won their first three games under Arne Slot, England would've beaten Spain at the Euros if they'd played Angel Gomes because he was really good against Finland.

My personal favourite has been Arsenal's 'season-defining week'... in the middle of September.

It is an objectively tough trio of fixtures: a Champions League trip to Atalanta sandwiched by away games at Tottenham and Manchester City on successive Sundays - so eight days if we're splitting hairs (which I am).

But season defining? Come on.

The irony is we genuinely are about to enter a week that will ultimately prove pivotal in Arsenal's season, and it has nothing to do with their three difficult away trips.

'Manchester City vs The Premier League' - the hearing of all hearings where the champions face 115 charges for allegedly breaking financial rules - starts on Monday.

Notwithstanding potential points deductions, Arsenal remain City's only legitimate threat to winning a fifth successive title, which they proved this weekend.

Not a hot take.

Title-winning mentality

Outrage over shirt colour aside, the build-up to the latest north London derby was dominated by coverage of the players Arsenal didn't have available.

In the absence of their two biggest leaders, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta's perpetually growing team took another huge step forward.

The way in which they calmly managed a febrile atmosphere in the early stages at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to eke out a 1-0 win, via Gabriel's thundering header, was the epitome of looking beyond the hot take. Of trusting the process.

• Gabriel header lands 12/1 winner

When in 2022/23 a late collapse, due to lack of depth and lack of defensive solidity, cost Arsenal the title, they responded.

After a summer of strengthening, despite the additional rigours of a Champions League campaign they collected five more points in 23/24 and had the best defensive record in the top flight, missing out to City by only two points, three closer than the previous year.

Methodical progress rewarded

This summer they continued to build in a smart, methodical way that other clubs can only dream of.

None of Jurrien Timber, Jorginho or Leandro Trossard are necessarily first choice and none were breathtaking signings when they arrived over the past 18 months, but all made vital contributions against the Gunners' biggest rivals to account for the absence of their key central-midfield duo.

At a time when so much is read into a single performance, with long-term progress over previous seasons getting near enough no mention, Arsenal showed what patience, planning and consistency is worth.

Premier League winner odds (via Sky Bet)

• Man City - 10/11
• Arsenal - 2/1
• Liverpool - 6/1

Odds correct at 1730 BST (15/09/2024)

So much was apparently at stake, in the fourth game of the season.

In reality, this was merely the perfect appetiser for the most high-stakes game in English football history, taking place for 10 weeks at various clandestine locations just to add further mystique to the drama of it all.

Arsenal continue to look every inch a title-winning team, doing their bit on the pitch.

They'll now hope the Premier League do theirs off it.

And trust a different kind of process.

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