Premier League: Top and bottom at Christmas – what does it mean?

For many Arsenal fans, there will be a feeling that they have seen it before. Leading the Premier League at Christmas before being gobbled up by Pep Guardiola’s relentless side is something the Gunners are a little too used to.

Seeing their lead over Manchester City by seven to two points inside five games won’t fill them with confidence either.

“We are back at the top of the table but we don’t watch City or other teams much,” Bukayo Saka said. “We’re in control now. We know if we win every week we’ll stay there.”

Arteta added: “The only thing we can control is our performance and results, and we know how long it will take and how difficult this league is. That’s all.”

Manchester City clearly have history on their side. Guardiola won the English Premier League title six times, the German League three times with Bayern Munich, and the Spanish League three times with Barcelona. Arteta has no league titles as a manager.

Guardiola’s team is full of Premier League winners, and players who know what it takes to finish the season strong, while none of Arsenal’s squad have won the Premier League – but they have been knocked out of the top spot over the past few seasons.

Why couldn’t this season be different? Manchester City look far from the relentless side of previous seasons – and have already lost four games this season, compared to Arsenal’s two losses.

“We will be there. If they follow me, we will be there, but we have to improve,” Guardiola said.

“I know the level in Europe, in the Premier League, I know Arsenal and the other teams and how strong they are. It’s not enough.

“The spirit is there, last season we didn’t have the spirit, the aggressiveness or the hunger – all the attributes they need. It’s not about highlighting events and how good the actions are, there is something that comes from within that we will recover from the Club World Cup.”

City’s attack is flowing – having scored 10 more goals than Arsenal, but having conceded six more as well – you feel the title race could be decided by whether City’s goals can trump Arsenal’s solidity.