Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal's great start to the season is a reward for the Gunners staying true to their principles.
The north London side missed out on Champions League qualification to fierce rivals Tottenham last season and are determined to make amends this term.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko moved to the capital from Manchester City and already look very much at home in an Arsenal side that are top of the Premier League with a 100 per cent record.
Arteta says such a promising start has been down to consistency in his messages to his players.
"For me, [managing a big club] is about being consistent," the Arsenal manager said.
"So when you try to bring an idea, you have a vision and you share that vision with the football club, then you take that direction and you go for it.
"And if you're not going to go for it, then do it with someone else, but try to do something you've committed to with everybody.
"Because when it starts to move in other directions, I think that brings all the time a lot of chaos, a lot of uncertainties and lack of clarity, and when that happens, normally everybody disperses and everything breaks away.
"We stick together, we believed in what we did and, hopefully, we can achieve [our goals]."
The Gunners will aim to become just the fifth side to start an English top-flight campaign with six wins when they visit Manchester United on Sunday. The last time Arsenal did so, they won the league in the 1947-48 season.
Erik ten Hag lost his first two games as United manager, but has since enjoyed three straight victories – including a 2-0 triumph over rivals Liverpool.
Ten Hag's initial struggles may resonate with Arteta, who experienced similar difficulties last year, but the Arsenal manager says challenging periods are to be expected in the Premier League.
"In this league, it's so competitive. The games are won by very small margins," he said.
"Those periods are going to happen. You have to be ready for that and understand what kind of reaction you need, and fix that as quickly as possible."
Arsenal will remain top of the league regardless of the result against United after second-placed Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Thiago Silva to rejoin Fluminense when Chelsea contract expires
Thiago Silva will return to his boyhood club Fluminense when he leaves Chelsea at the end of the season, the Blues have announced.
Silva joined Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and has made 152 appearances for the club, helping them win the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup.
The 39-year-old confirmed last month that he would leave upon the expiration of his contract in June, pledging to return "in another role" when his playing days are over.
However, that will not be for some time as the centre-back has agreed a two-year contract with Fluminense, who he first joined as a 14-year-old in 1998.
Initially finding opportunities hard to come by with the Rio de Janeiro giants, he had spells with Pedrabranca, Juventude and Dynamo Moscow before returning to Fluminense – initially on loan – in 2006.
He made his name with the club before joining Milan in a €10million deal in 2009, with that move kickstarting the defender's glittering career in European football.
Silva announced he was returning to Brazil on Instagram, posting an image of himself in a Fluminense shirt alongside the caption: "I'm coming home".
Chelsea said Silva will be allowed to train with Fluminense as soon as the Premier League season is over, before becoming eligible to represent the Brazilian side on July 1.
It was feared Silva may already have played his final game for Chelsea when he suffered a groin injury during their 2-2 draw with Aston Villa last month, but he was named in the starting lineup as they thrashed West Ham 5-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Silva has started 26 Premier League games for Chelsea this campaign, with the Blues conceding an average of 1.6 goals per game with him in their lineup, compared to two goals per match without him.
Man Utd keen to sell Greenwood amid Barcelona interest, claims Getafe president
Manchester United are keen to sell Mason Greenwood in the upcoming transfer window and could field interest from Barcelona, according to Getafe president Angel Torres.
Greenwood joined Getafe on a season-long loan deal in September and has scored eight goals and added six assists in 29 appearances in LaLiga in 2023-24.
Greenwood was arrested in January 2022 and was later charged with attempted rape and assault, with all charges against him dropped in February 2023.
United then conducted a six-month internal investigation into his conduct and said they recognised "the difficulties with him recommencing his career" with the club.
In February, speculation that Greenwood could yet return to Old Trafford was heightened when new minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe said a "fresh decision" would be made on his future at the end of the season.
However, Getafe chief Torres claims the Red Devils are now keen to cash in on a player he hopes to keep at the Estadio Coliseum.
"If it depended on the player, his parents and the club, I think he would continue for another year," Torres said of Greenwood in an interview with RadioMARCA on Tuesday.
"Manchester United's idea is to sell if there is a good offer, we will have to wait. I think he will stay."
Reports had suggested both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona were considering a move for Greenwood, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract with United.
Torres claims Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco have been in touch about the 22-year-old, adding: "No one from Atleti has asked me about Greenwood.
"I spoke with [Atleti president] Miguel Angel [Gil Marin], but about other things. The only one who asked me about the player was Joan Laporta.
"I spoke with him and Deco and they asked me what he was like to get a sense of the player, but first they have to sell to buy, this is the problem with Spanish football."
'Call it a day' – Casemiro told to quit Man Utd after hapless Palace display
Casemiro has been told to quit Manchester United after producing a dire display in Monday's 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace, with Jamie Carragher saying the Brazilian can no longer cut it at the top level.
United produced arguably their worst performance of the season on Monday, with Michael Olise scoring twice as Palace hammered Erik ten Hag's injury-hit side at Selhurst Park.
With Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof all sidelined, Casemiro played as a makeshift centre-back alongside Jonny Evans and endured a nightmare outing.
The Brazilian was beaten all too easily by Olise for Palace's opener, then was outmuscled by Daniel Munoz for Olise's second goal just after the hour mark.
Carragher believes the time has come for the five-time Champions League winner to step away from the top level, saying a move to MLS or the Saudi Pro League should be on the cards.
"I think Casemiro should know himself, as an experienced player, that he should only have three games left at a top level," Carragher said in his role as Sky Sports pundit.
"Then he should say, 'I'm going to head to MLS or Saudi'. His agent or the team around him need to tell him. We're watching one of the greats of the modern time.
"But I always remember something when I retired, a saying I'll always remember, 'leave the football before the football leaves you'.
"The football's left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move."
Casemiro has struggled throughout his second season at Old Trafford. Last campaign, the former Real Madrid star won possession 8.68 times per 90 minutes, on average, in the Premier League, also managing 1.44 interceptions per game.
Both of those figures are down this term, with Casemiro only winning possession back 6.14 times and making 0.84 interceptions per 90 minutes.
Since the turn of the year, meanwhile, United have faced a Premier League-high 317 shots, while only West Ham (36.35), Luton Town (35.78), Burnley (31.88) and Sheffield United (31.6) have allowed opponents to generate more expected goals (xG) than their 31.47.
Ten Hag, however, refused to single out Casemiro for criticism after Monday's match, saying: "You can't put this down to one player, it's a team performance."
Casemiro has been dribbled past on 52 occasions in the Premier League this season, with only eight players being beaten by opponents more often in the competition.
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