That was the resounding message Arsène Wenger’s team sent out with a heartening 3-1 win over Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on Monday night.
The three points restores them to second place behind Manchester United – but this victory was worth much more than that.
Having lost at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, the critics suggested Arsenal’s campaign would be undermined by familiar weaknesses. One of which was a failure to beat their main title rivals.
However, make no mistake, this evening they fully deserved to beat the reigning champions.
Alex Song bundled through to blast home the opener on the stroke of half time. Then, just after the restart, Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott set up goals for one another inside three mad minutes.
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Branislav Ivanovic nodded Chelsea back in touch just before the hour and then Carlo Ancelotti’s side kicked on in search of something more.
But this evening, the likes of Song, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou put in performances of controlled muscularity. Lukasz Fabianski was barely tested in the final half-hour.
This result does not answer all the questions about Arsenal this season. But the trip to Wigan is the midway point of the Premier League campaign and should Wenger’s men win there they will be, at the very least, within a victory of top spot.
No-one knows if Arsenal will win the title but they have put themselves in position to have a chance.
It had been a full fortnight since that disappointing 1-0 defeat at Manchester United and this game had been built up as another season-shaper.
Wenger made five changes, including a couple of surprises. Djourou came in for his first Premier League start since the 2-1 win at Everton on November 14. Sebastien Squillaci dropped the bench. He was joined there by Marouane Chamakh, who was replaced by Robin van Persie. The Dutchman was starting his first Premier League game in four months.
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