With the November international break now here, Arsenal have time to reflect on a hectic start to the season.
Their success across all competitions has put Mikel Arteta in a good position to kick on in the coming months.
A place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup is a positive, alongside some fine form in the Champions League.
The Premier League table is shaping up nicely for Arsenal, even with the late draw against Sunderland eating into their lead.
Even at this early juncture, the Gunners are reflecting on some key moments which have put them in this position, and one key intervention from Gabriel Martinelli cannot be overlooked.
Gabriel Martinelli’s goal against Man City looks even more important for Arsenal now
Arsenal’s tough start to the season presented a significant obstacle for the side in their hopes of mounting a Premier League title challenge.
Trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and St. James’s Park were all thrown at Mikel Arteta early on, giving him some issues to solve right away.
Fortunately for him, the Gunners managed to deal with most threats, including a tough test against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
A draw ensured both teams took a point from the clash, but it could prove vital for Arsenal.
Not least as Man City are back in the title race after beating Liverpool, with the gap at the top sitting at just four points.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  ArsenalArsenal | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 26 |
| 2 |  Manchester CityManchester City | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 8 | 15 | 22 |
| 3 |  ChelseaChelsea | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 20 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 19 |
That point which was shared wouldn’t have been possible without some last-minute heroics from Gabriel Martinelli.
After Erling Haaland’s early opener, Man City dug deep and played an unusually defensive setup against the Gunners.
In the last moments, a long ball over the top found Martinelli, who managed to stick the ball in the back of the net.
Given the current context of the title race, that was clearly a crucial goal, as the top of the table would look even tighter.
Man City would be on 24 points and Arsenal would be on 25 points, narrowing that gap down to just one point between the two teams.
For all the good work Arsenal have done, they have been so close to it being that little bit tougher.
Fans have Martinelli’s intervention to thank for that little bit of breathing room at the top.
Gabriel Martinelli’s injury return is needed after the international break
While Arsenal have managed to get through the past month with some impressive results, it was clear to see the team was losing steam as the game went against Sunderland.
The lack of senior attacking options made it tough for the Gunners to press as effectively as they usually do.
With the international break now here, there is a perfect chance to regroup, with some hope that Gabriel Martinelli’s injury, among many others, will be over.
The Brazilian may find it tough to make an instant impact, given the recent form of Leandro Trossard and Eberechi Eze.
However, simply having those fresh legs and competition is desperately needed for the upcoming run of fixtures.
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