Arsenal and their Spanish coach Mikel Arteta have had a great start to the English Premier League, winning eight of their first nine matches to suggest that a first title challenge for years is on the cards.
However, facing champions Manchester City will be the ultimate test of how good the London team actually are.
Al-Shabab and their young Spanish coach Vicente Moreno will know how that feels. The Riyadh club have won all six of their Roshn Saudi League games so far this season and as the streak has continued, the compliments have kept coming, but so have the comments that Monday’s Riyadh Derby against Al-Hilal will be a barometer of how far the team that last won the title in 2012 have come and, perhaps, an indicator of how far they can go.
It is not just that Al-Hilal are reigning Saudi and Asian champions, with two Champions League titles in the last three years, but they have an ingrained habit of beating Al-Shabab. The last time they lost this fixture was way back in 2014. For the White Lions, that winless streak has stretched to 18 games. It has become increasingly painful. Two of the last three league meetings have ended 5-0 and 5-1, as Al-Hilal swatted aside their neighbors with ease.
If Al-Shabab can win on Monday then, it would be a big result for many reasons. It really would make it a magnificent seven wins out of seven. It would extend their lead over Al-Hilal to eight points, and it would send a statement to the rest of the league and, perhaps, themselves that they can go all the way.
Lost a little in the build-up to the Riyadh Derby is a recognition of the fact that Al-Shabab have been perfect with 18 points, 15 goals scored and one conceded. Moreno, a promotion specialist in Spain after taking
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Vicente Moreno
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Mikel Arteta