Paul Scholes makes Arsenal Premier League title statement after Mikel Arteta U-turn

Paul Scholes reckons Arsenal are looking like a title-winning team. (Image: Getty Images)

Paul Scholes has claimed that Arsenal are "playing the type of football of a team you would expect to win the league" in a glowing endorsement of Mikel Arteta's side.

The Gunners moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win against West Ham on Saturday . Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka scored either side of half-time as Arteta's squad leapfrogged Liverpool - who were beaten 2-1 at Chelsea - to the summit before October's international break.

It has been a remarkable turnaround after Arteta was criticised his approach and system following the 1-1 draw against Manchester City last month. They have won their last four matches across all competitions, beating Port Vale, Newcastle United, Olympiacos and West Ham.

Given Arsenal's recent up-tick in form, Scholes now believes that Arteta has taken the "handbrake off a little" - something that is making the Gunners look like a title-winning side.

Speaking on The Overlap's Fan Debate , Scholes said: "I think you can always feel a good team coming, like we did with Manchester City for a few years. They [Arsenal] aren't quite winning the league yet, but you watch them and think they're good.

"At the start of the season, I never saw that in Arsenal, until the Newcastle game. They took the handbrake off a little, he started playing Eberechi Eze and [Martin] Odegaard came into the team again.

"Suddenly, they are playing the type of football of a team you would expect to win the league. Saying you think they are capable, you're never going to know until it happens."

Saturday's win against West Ham was Arteta's 300th game in charge of the Gunners, following his appointment in December 2019. During that period, the Spaniard has won 177, drawn 56 and lost 67 of those matches.

"I'm very happy, 300 games for this club," he said. "A huge amount of gratitude to everybody that has been around in this journey, beautiful journey. Today we wanted to celebrate with a victory, we certainly have done it.

"Now we have the international break, and I think we are in a very good position in every competition."

Arteta went on: "Very proud - it is a big number for this football club. I want to thank everybody, especially my coaching staff who have been with me since day one.

"Without them, it's impossible, first of all, to do the job and secondly to enjoy it, so I know that I have the best people in the world around me. Also the players and the staff that have been with me since day one, supporting, helping me to be a better coach, to learn from them, to inspire me and to enjoy the good moments as well.

"I wanted to celebrate it with a win, I've got it. Now we have an international break to enjoy it and use the time as well to prepare because what's coming before the next break is going to be really difficult again."

The Gunners sit one point above Liverpool going into their two-week international break, having accumulated 16 points from their opening seven fixtures. Spurs are third on 14 points with Bournemouth one place behind on goal difference and Manchester City in fifth on 13 points.