The top flight’s only remaining unbeaten team at the start of October is some tag.
That is the reality for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who are yet to be defeated in any competition this season — unlike Tottenham, who are also unbeaten in the Premier League but went out of the Carabao Cup.
It is a reflection of football’s uncompromising nature, however, that their lack of a top-class centre forward was in the spotlight just a week ago.
Ahead of last Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fixture at Brentford, Gunners boss Arteta fielded many a question about the lack of a clinical goalscorer after missed chances by Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the drawn north London derby.