Mikel Arteta enters fifth year at Arsenal aiming for Premier League and Champions League double

Mikel Arteta has now entered his fifth year in charge of Arsenal (whether it be as head-coach or manager), having won the FA Cup and picked up two Community Shields. Many might point to this as being an underachievement for a club of the stature of Arsenal but that would be ignoring some major details of his tenure.

When Arteta arrived at the club it was a fractured shell of its former self. I say former self when indeed it might be more accurate to say that the side had continually fallen away from the golden era of Arsene Wenger in the late 90s and early 00s to a point where a handful of FA Cups simply couldn't detract from the gap to the title challengers.

What Arteta has done during this short time is take the club from a side on a slide and turn them into established title challengers. Last season's effort had been mused to potentially be simply a surprise but as Arteta reaches this milestone, his side again sits top of the Premier League table, five points ahead of Manchester City having already beaten them this season.

He has transformed the club's recruitment policy. Before he arrived Arsenal were known for finding gems outside of the UK and typically only bringing in-depth options like Calum Chambers, Danny Welbeck, Mathieu Debuchy and David Luiz.

The current starting XI is awash with a majority of players signed from other Premier League sides. Even looking to the bench, there are the likes of Leandro Trossard, Aaron Ramsdale and Jorginho.

The side recorded the highest number of goals an Arsenal team has amassed in the Premier League with 88 and the reputation of the Gunners’ record away from home at a 'Big Six' club has been eradicated. Arsenal are viewed completely differently amongst the wider footballing sphere