Arteta hails 'extraordinary' Arsenal after record-breaking start to the season

Mikel Arteta has hailed his Arsenal stars following their record-breaking start to the season that has seen the Gunners collect 50 points.

The Gunners are five points clear with a game in hand
Have lost just once in the league all season
Manchester City are up next in the FA Cup

WHAT HAPPENED? The Gunners sealed a thrilling 3-2 win against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon to restore their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.

The victory takes Arteta's side to 50 points at the halfway stage of the campaign, a feat never achieved before by an Arsenal side - even Arsene Wenger's Invincibles.

WHAT THEY SAID: When asked how he would describe the first half of the season following Sunday's success against United, Arteta said: "Extraordinary. It doesn’t get much better than that. We deserved the points that we have. I think we have played well enough to win most of the matches. But the reality is that we have things we can get better at. Attacking and defending in transitions. That’s the aim."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Focusing on the game itself, Arteta was quick to pay credit to two-goal hero Eddie Nketiah, who scored the crucial winner in the last minute.

"What Eddie is doing is incredible," said the Gunners boss. "Losing Gabi [Gabriel Jesus] was a big blow, but Eddie is responding with the team in an exceptional way. He’s so loved by everybody at the football club. He’s got a real Arsenal heart and that’s very special. You cannot put that into numbers, but he’s really, really good."