Many fans of the London club want to take this as a sign that the league title will finally be theirs again, after narrowly losing out to the Cityzens last season - but is it really as simple as that? It seems unlikely.
First off, credit where credit is due to Arsenal’s defense, as despite a shaky start from David Raya in goal, William Saliba and Gabriel kept Erling Haaland quiet all match, meaning the Norwegian now hasn’t scored in four appearances.
In total, City managed to get off four shots, with just one on target all game - quite the stat given the depth and quality of Pep Guardiola’s squad, and it highlights the discipline and strength Arsenal have in their back line now. Declan Rice showed his mettle too, with a goalline clearance in the opening stages to bail out a nervy Raya.
The Sky Blues showed an uncharacteristic lack of discipline, not their usual, clinical selves in front of goal and incredibly lucky not to go down to 10 men early on. Mateo Kovacic’s pair of late tackles on Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice should have seen him sent off, but the Croatian somehow walked away with just a yellow.
As for absentees, both sides were missing key players, with Bukayo Saka out for Arsenal with a hamstring injury, Kevin de Bruyne out for City for the same reason, and Rodri still suspended, sent off against Nottingham Forest. Injuries often provide the biggest twists and turns later on in the title decider, and Arsenal fans will acutely remember the impact of Saliba’s back injury, which took him out of action at the business end of last season.
In an overcrowded schedule, with midweek European games and international breaks a plenty, it’s likely that key players will get injured, and that could prove crucial later on down the line.
Although this is a huge milestone for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, just eight weeks into a busy season, it’s definitely too soon to say this victory guarantees them the title. They sit level on points with north London rivals Tottenham, now the only two unbeaten teams so far. The Gunners won’t meet City until the end of March now, and the table could look very different then. Both teams will be back in action on Saturday 21st October, when City will face Brighton at home and Arsenal will travel to Stamford Bridge for a London derby against Chelsea.