Mikel Arteta insisted that despite recent setbacks, Arsenal are in a position they would have loved to be in at the start of the season. It was a point worth making after a morale-sapping setback against their biggest rivals on Thursday.
Presented with the chance to seal a return to the Champions League at Tottenham, Arsenal instead endured a night to forget.
Well-beaten 3-0 to give Spurs renewed hope of pipping them to fourth spot, Arsenal also had Rob Holding sent off, lost another centre back Gabriel to injury and Arteta ended the night under fire from Antonio Conte.