Arsenal claimed a late 2-1 comeback victory over Fulham at the Emirates on Saturday evening, extending their Premier League winning run to four matches to remain the only side with a 100 per cent record.
It was another test of character for the Gunners who went behind early in the second half due to an error by Gabriel in his own penalty area, despite Arsenal dominating the opening 55 minutes.
But as we have already seen multiple times already this season, Arsenal’s reaction was superb, with skipper Martin Odegaard scoring the equaliser 10 minutes later, and Mikel Arteta boldly bringing on Eddie Nkeitah for Kieran Tierney.
The change was a masterstroke from Arteta, helping to generate extra movement up top, eventually resulting in an 86th-minute corner which Gabriel forced home to secure the win and atone for his earlier mistake.
It saw Arsenal claim their fourth win out of four games so far to keep their momentum rolling ahead of a midweek home date with struggling Aston Villa, followed by the Gunners’ first big test of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm).
Arsenal have dealt with everything in front of them so far, showcasing a mixture of dominant play and resilience to win each of their opening games.
But despite a wobbly start by United, a trip to Old Trafford is never easy for the Gunners, especially with the Red Devils beating Liverpool in their last home game.
Following the clash with United, Arsenal kick off their Europa League campaign with a trip to Switzerland to play FC Zurich next Thursday. They will also face PSV Eindhoven and Bodo/Glimt in group A this season.
The Europa League will be the first real chance for Arteta to rotate the side and begin integrating the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and summer signing Fabio Vieira in order to raise their match sharpness for the Premier League.
The same will be true for any last-minute signings Arsenal get over the line in the transfer window, with a new winger a possibility after Nicolas Pepe left the club on loan to French side Nice.
Arsenal have flown out of the gates so far, and will be hoping their early momentum will see them through their upcoming tougher tests.
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