Arsenal have reasons for optimism that this title race will end differently

Mikel Arteta bids to end hoodoo after Gunners secure top spot at Christmas

The more superstitious among Arsenal fans can be forgiven for going to bed on Saturday night with mixed feelings.

They had just watched Viktor Gyokeres' penalty earn a 1-0 win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, giving the striker his first goal since November.

The good news was that those three points moved Arsenal back above Manchester City and to the top of the Premier League table, where they will sit on Christmas Day.

The bad news? That Arsenal will sit top of the table on Christmas Day.

A Viktor Gyokeres penalty gave Arsenal victory at Everton

AFP via Getty Images

Four times Arsenal have spent Christmas at the summit of the Premier League and four times they have failed to go on and win the title.

That includes the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons under Mikel Arteta , when the Gunners fell away later in the campaign and saw City charge clear on the home straight.

Pep Guardiola's side are once again lurking and are back to swatting aside opponents, racking up the goals in the ominous fashion.

City have won their last seven games in all competitions, scoring at least twice in each of them, and are just two points behind Arsenal .

The challenge for Arteta and the Gunners is ensuring that another season of Christmas control does not ultimately end in May misery.

“What gives me belief and confidence is the level of performance and the consistency of that,” Arteta said on Saturday.

“That's very, very difficult to do in this league. That means that the team is constantly there.

“Enjoy the process of winning. You're going to have to go to difficult places, you're going to have difficult moments. We have dealt with a lot of things already, and we are there.”

Many of those things, as has often been the case at Arsenal in recent seasons, have been injury related.

Mikel Arteta’s side are two points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Martin Odegaard was on the sidelines for 11 matches with shoulder and knee issues, while William Saliba and Bukayo Saka have missed four and three games respectively.

Noni Madueke was ruled out for two months. Gabriel has been absent for six weeks and counting with a hamstring injury.

Kai Havertz has played a total of 30 minutes this season and Arsenal spent effectively all of November without him, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus in attack.

In previous seasons, injuries have derailed Arsenal , who have not had the squad depth to compete. Periods without the likes of Saka and Saliba have been disastrous.

The Gunners now have genuine options in reserve and injuries can no longer be an excuse for failing to get over the line in a title race.

The fixture list should also encourage Arsenal and Arteta that there will be no Christmas Day hoodoo this time.

Trips to Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland have already been ticked off.

Of the six sides with the worst home records in the Premier League this season, Arsenal have played only one - Burnley - on the road.

There is a sense that Arsenal have not been at their best in recent weeks, getting the job done with nervy, narrow wins rather than killing games off early and minimising the stress.

Particularly in the dramatic win over Wolves, there was an obvious edginess and that is a concern not even halfway into the season. The title race has barely begun.

The hope will be that Arsenal can peak at the right time. Arteta has voiced his conviction that Gyokeres will go to another level in the second half of the season as he continues to adapt and that could be a decisive factor.

Gyokeres only has five Premier League goals so far but still the Gunners have found a way to move ahead of their rivals.

Tough away days have been ticked off and this is a squad with no obvious weaknesses, able to cope with injuries across the pitch.

Sitting top at Christmas Day is an encouraging platform. Now the serious business begins.