Arsenal legend Martin Keown has highlighted the growth of his former club under the guidance of Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners are considered as contenders for the Premier League title, having chased Manchester City for the previous two seasons.
Prior to the 2022/23 campaign, Arteta’s side finished fifth before charging up to reach a new level to be branded as one of the top teams in the league once more.
A lot has gone into the revitalisation of Arsenal, who haven’t won the Premier League since the Invincible season of 2003/04.
Martin Keown says Arsenal’s away form has taken them to the next level
From sharpening up defensively to adding more stability in midfield, a lot has improved at the Emirates since Arteta took charge.
Arsenal’s attack has always had some firepower, with the bolstering at the back being the most important change at the club to close the gap on Manchester City.
Club legend Martin Keown pinpointed Arsenal’s defensive record away from home as being one of the key reasons that the Gunners have reached a new level in the Premier League.
Speaking about his former club ahead of the North London derby on talkSPORT, the centre-back waxed lyrical about the away form Arteta’s side have built.
“When you look at how many goals they conceded in recent times, the number of clean sheets away from home, their away record, that’s when you start to look at Arsenal and think they’ve now got that pedigree of Champions. Their away record is quite phenomenal.”
Arsenal have played once on the road this season, winning at Villa Park to beat Aston Villa 2-0 in a game that in the first half, looked to be going down a completely different road.
Arsenal’s away record in 2023/24
Last season was a turning point for the Gunners, who recorded a stellar record on the road, losing only three of their 19 away games.
Ironically, Arsenal won at grounds that they had struggled at in previous years but dropped valuable points when visiting Newcastle United, Fulham and Aston Villa in the 2023/24 Premier League.
- READ MORE: Who are The Invincibles? Meet the Arsenal record-breakers who became Premier League legends
Having missed out on the title by two points, the trio of away fixtures will have certainly been a point of evaluation for Arteta in the inquest of the campaign.
The Gunners secured results on the road against Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Spurs to assert their dominance away from the Emirates.
Having seen how Arsenal suffered in the past at a number of grounds, it’s refreshing to see the squad perform so convincingly away from home.
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