Arsenal top six rival analysis: Man United, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester & more

Ahead of this season kicking off, and most definitely after three matches in, hopes of Arsenal achieving a top six place in the Premier League were admittedly low.

Fully invested into the recruitment strategy the club were undergoing, even if there were some qualms over the exact personnel selected, the general view was that it would take one campaign at the least to truly see the fruits of that labour.

Even if the end of the previous campaign finished strongly there was a realisation that the teams challenging for European berths were streaks ahead of the quality Arsenal possessed, and that there were still lingering question marks over Mikel Arteta’s suitability to the role.

Faith has been placed in him through thick and thin. Handed the combination to the club safe and continuously backed publicly, the transfers secured over the summer have proven to be more immediate answers than initially anticipated.

Arsenal top six rival analysis: Manchester United, Tottenham, West Ham, Leicester, Wolves an Everton assessed in Premier League hunt for Europe

The club’s summer spending is proving to be a successful even if it’s too soon to fully deem it a ‘success’.

And after vastly improved performances have produced the corresponding results, Arsenal remarkably find themselves just three points behind third-placed Manchester City in the Premier League table.

Too soon to dream, eyes are fixed on the ongoings in and around them in the table. Top four is a possibility, and one to aim for, but realistically it’s still the top six that is being looked at.

And so, with over a quarter of the season down, how are the Gunners’ rivals faring and who might be the main challengers?

Disclaimer: all league standings as they were prior to matchweek 11

1. West Ham

One aspect working in the Gunners’ favour has yet to be as beneficial to them as hoped when it comes to West Ham. It’s early days, but the lack of European football this season is still yet to have its full impact on their London rivals.

The Hammers are a team transformed under David Moyes. They look very, very good. Declan Rice looks even better.

With the thin squad they have – no suitable striker after Michail Antonio – their European campaign has had no bearing on their league form. Sitting in in the top four they look closer than anyone to sneaking into the what was felt like being a set in stone Champions League places ahead of the season starting.

The quantity of matches takes its toll later on as the season progresses, and while West Ham are showing no signs of fatigue at this moment, the hope is that they will begin to tail off as they look set for extended involvement in the Europa League and are still going strong in the Carabao Cup.

Moyes’ side are only a few injuries away from being in trouble, though. Rice and Antonio are irreplaceable in their squad.

As it stands, however, they don’t look like faltering.

Continued…