Brentford boss Thomas Frank has hailed Mikel Arteta and believes the Spaniard has transformed the Gunners into Premier League title contenders this season.
Arsenal have won five out of their first six games after they finished fifth last year and narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.
They travel to west London to face Brentford on Sunday, 13 months on from a damaging 2-0 defeat to the Bees in what was their first-ever game in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank claims Mikel Arteta has turned Arsenal into Premier League title contenders
And their boss Frank has insisted Arsenal have already overtaken top six rivals Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham as the nearest challengers to Manchester City in the title race this season
He said: 'In spells they've been the best performing team over the first six games.