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It’s time to face facts and admit what other pundits cannot bring themselves to admit.

Not only do Arsenal have all the ingredients required to win the title, I’m beginning to think they will do it.

The Gunners go to Manchester United on Sunday five points clear at the top, eight points ahead of their hosts and six ahead of Manchester City – my pre-season tip to win the Premier League.

That’s a strong position to be in, especially with Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still to come back from injuries.

And they have just come through two games which could easily have stopped Arsenal in their tracks.

Had they come unstuck at home against Liverpool and away to Borussia Dortmund, Arsene Wenger’s men would have been knocked off the top in the title race and faced elimination from the ­Champions League.

But they didn’t just pass the big test. The Gunners came through with flying colours - to such an extent that ­Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp reckons they could win the European Cup.

And that’s not such a long shot when you think Arsenal have won away at both Dortmund and Bayern Munich - the two sides that contested last season’s European Cup Final - in 2013.

Before a ball was kicked in August, I feared Arsenal might not even make the top four.

There had been no marquee signings all summer while City and Chelsea had spent £200million on new players.

I thought Wenger was getting left behind in the transfer market, but landing £42.5m Mesut Ozil on deadline day changed all that at a stroke.

Now, when Wenger’s players look round the dressing room, instead of wondering who’s going to be the next big name to leave, they see Ozil and think, “We’ve got one of the best players in the world in our team.”

The German has given Arsenal the belief that they are contenders, not pretenders, for the title this time.

On Sunday, they will walk into Old ­Trafford believing they can follow in the footsteps of Sylvain Wiltord, who clinched the Double for Arsenal at United's ground in 2002.

And, on current form, they have the best player in the Premier League – Aaron Ramsey, whose 11 club goals this term is as many as he has scored in the rest of his Arsenal career.

How good is this team? Well, you could argue that there is no room for Jack Wilshere in Wenger’s strongest XI.

Personally, I would pick Wilshere (because he supported me in Strictly Come Dancing!), but he should be aspiring to match Ramsey’s goal-scoring record from midfield this year.

(Image: Getty)

And what do Arsenal need to do to stay out in front?

Olivier Giroud has become the focal point of their attack, so keeping him fit is now going to be a priority.

Signing another striker in January, as cover for Giroud, would give them added depth on the run-in.

Clearly, Ozil, who has lifted the club – on and off the pitch – will be ­influential, but I’ve also been impressed with Wojciech Szczesny’s improved consistency in goal and Per Mertesacker has been a rock at the back.

Look after those crown jewels and the title is there for the taking.

After the verbal pasting Wenger got following that opening-day loss to Aston Villa, it would be a remarkable ­turnaround if they managed to last the pace.

He is the best manager in the Premier League.

I was among those who wrote him off last season, and I would be so pleased for him if he had the last laugh.

Click here for Robbie on Ashley Young, Hugo Lloris and more, plus his scoreline predictions for this weekend in the premier League.

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