Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has praised the work of Mikel Arteta so far and claims that Arsenal are "back" after their ideal start to the campaign. The Gunners currently lead the champions by one point in the Premier League, sitting top with eight wins from nine so far.
It has led to many believing they could be part of an unlikely title push after bolstering in the summer, with former manager Arsene Wenger and current midfield star Granit Xhaka claiming they can achieve something special. Despite that start, Arteta has been coy on such talk, claiming the side haven't achieved anything yet.
‘It’s a really hungry and humble team, believe me. It’s nothing that we have done yet, and there are still a lot of things to improve. That’s the direction we’re taking. We just started, and we’re really happy with where we are. The table says what it says, and we don’t look at that."
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The change of fortunes for Arteta has come after a number of changes in the playing squad as well as the culture and standards being set at the club itself. It's those things that have led to plenty of praise from former colleague Guardiola, who believes the club are back and challenging where they belong.
He said, via Football Daily: "He [Arteta] changed the team but not just the team, the club itself and Arsenal is back. But also of course [there's] Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, [Manchester] United who won four games in a row, they beat Arsenal and Liverpool.
"So you're just in October and many many clubs can be there, I would say in March, April you know I could be more precise to say I think these teams are the two or three or four that can fight for the title. But in October, everybody is involved because many things even including the World Cup in the middle of the season.
"Like, no one knows what is going to happen, the way it's going to come back. So that's why it's a game by game try to be every game your best and after we'll see what happens."
It remains to be seen if the Gunners can make that push at the top of the division, but it's that uncertainty Guardiola mentions that actually gives them perhaps the best chance in years of Premier League glory once again.
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