4 ways Arsenal have evolved into Manchester City and can now take them down

4. Smart recruitment

Savvy transfer business has not always been our forte.

The extraordinary wealth and eye for talent at City meant Arsenal had to up their recruitment game if they were to become competitive again, and now the hierarchy is getting it consistently right.

Dogged persistence (and an ideal location) convinced Declan Rice to pick north London over the Treble winners last summer while, as somewhat luxurious additions, both David Raya and Kai Havertz represent Arteta’s burning desire to swing the small, title-deciding margins in his favour.

For good measure, the acquisitions of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus only expedited our City imitation as they were already well versed in the Pep/Arteta vision and could, therefore, make an immediate impact- although the title charge was perhaps unexpected.

Our recent investment shows how half measures will simply not work if you want to overtake the Champions, and the chasing pack need City-level ambition and knowhow in order to threaten their title monopoly.

Arteta has followed the Pep blueprint and spent a not dissimilar fortune, and he might now be the man to bring him down.