This time a year ago, Liverpool beat both Manchester City and Real Madrid within days of each other. The win over City put the Reds nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal while reigning champions City were 11 adrift. Those games, followed by a strong November, underlined that Liverpool were the best team in England (and briefly Europe). So it proved as they won the league.

Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Tottenham today puts them six ahead of second-placed Chelsea, seven in front of their main challengers City and 11 clear of reigning champions Liverpool. Like the Reds a year ago, the dominant manner of the Gunners’ derby day victory simply puts in bold font that Arsenal are the best team in this league. They’re one of the very best in Europe too.

Barring an unprecedented spate of injuries or the most extraordinary collective head loss, Arsenal will be named champions in May. Maybe even earlier, actually. Excluding a phenomenal Richarlison goal, which was a freak long-range finish, Arsenal absolutely thrashed Spurs. This was a hammering. Eberechi Eze was incredible.

And yet this was an Arsenal team without talismanic centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes and captain Martin Odegaard. Both would have started if fit. Also on the list of absentees? Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli were only just back from knocks and started on the bench.

Those absentees mattered not at the Emirates. Yes, Spurs offered extremely little. But Arsenal blew them away and played some magnificent football. They could have scored six.

Their challengers? Liverpool are well, well out of the title race. City, with four defeats in 12 games, have shown they are far from infallible despite improving on last season. Chelsea could yet assert themselves as Arsenal’s main challengers but are not without issues of their own. They don’t look ready to win a league.

Arsenal have by far the best defence in the division, even without Gabriel, and perhaps the best in Europe. And after dismantling a very defensive-minded Spurs team with ease, their next opportunity to prove themselves? Bayern Munich at the Emirates in midweek.

Bayern are one of just three teams in the Champions League to have also won four of four. They have scored three more goals, but also conceded three while Arsenal have leaked none in Europe. Win that, and it is another massive statement from the Gunners.

Chelsea at Stamford Bridge await next weekend. Win that, and Arsenal have one hand on the trophy already, similarly to how Liverpool did a year ago. The chips are falling for the north Londoners in terms of having no elite-level title rival but immense credit must go to Mikel Arteta and his staff because it’s easy to forget how many injuries they have dealt with this season.

And Arsenal have prepared so well, across multiple campaigns, for this. They can play pretty football, as they did against Spurs, and they can also beat you up in a physical battle. Want to put all your defenders on the pitch and play for a point? Well they’ll probably just score from a set-piece then. They’re pretty good at that.

Arteta’s Arsenal have their critics but they are a serious football team. It’s hard to see what stops them confirming that with a league title in the spring.