Arsenal sent a firm message to their title rivals with a history-making 6-0 thumping of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The Gunners ran riot on Monday night having scored four goals in the space of 20 first-half minutes, with some Blades fans leaving the ground just 15 minutes into the clash.
Having gone in at half time 5-0 up, Mikel Arteta’s side eased up after the break with just one more goal in the second half.
It was a near enough perfect evening for the in-form north Londoners, providing the knock Gabriel Martinelli sustained isn’t too serious, with the result demonstrating the excellent form Arsenal are in.
The 6-0 win means they’re the only side English league football to win three successive away games by 5+ goals, having beaten West Ham by the same scoreline last month as well as winning 5-0 at Burnley in their previous away league fixture.
And Arteta suggested this could be the best performance in his stint as Arsenal manager, which has lasted over four years.
Asked if he was expecting such a blistering start from his team, Arteta told talkSPORT: “For sure, not. I’ve seen a lot of teams struggling against Sheffield United, it’s really difficult to open them up.
“But from the beginning we showed that positivity, that quality as well. In short spaces we were really good and we looked a threat.”
When asked about why his side have been so free-scoring, Arteta said: “The players, the form they’re in, they’re confident, the chemistry, the determination that they are showing in every ball.
“They want more and they still believe that they can improve because we can improve in certain things and it’s important that we maintain that.”
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Arteta added: “Without looking at the numbers it’s probably the best that we’ve been but it has to be at the end of the season and we are focused on that…”
The win lays down yet another marker to Liverpool and Manchester City that Arsenal will likely be there at the end in what’s shaping up to be a mouth-watering title race.
Club legend Thierry Henry is naturally very impressed by what he’s seeing but he’s not convinced Arsenal are the favourites.
Henry said: “We all know where my heart will go, I want Arsenal to win the league.
“But I still see City as the team to beat.”