Jorginho: Arsenal have more 'maturity' to deal with Premier League title race

The Gunners were top of the table for a total of 248 days last term before ultimately slipping behind Manchester City in the run-in.

Pep Guardiola's men are again in the running this time, with the holders sandwiched between leaders Liverpool and Arsenal as the season enters the final straight.

Just two points separate the table-topping Reds and third-placed Gunners, who ran amok at sorry Sheffield United in a 6-0 Monday mauling.

"The performance of the squad (was great) and the mentality to start strong and carry on the momentum," Jorginho said.

"It was really, really good to see a team playing forward and want to keep going."

Asked what is different about the team this year compared to the one that just fell short last season, the Italy international added: "I think the maturity.

"We are way more mature how we compete and how we manage the games. I think that's it."

That mentality led Mikel Arteta's side to race out of the blocks, racking up a five-goal lead quicker than any away side in Premier League history - Declan Rice making it 5-0 in the 39th minute.

Ben White's second-half thunderbolt completed the rout, scoring the club's 10,000th goal on a night they became the first English league side to win three consecutive away games by five or more goals.

"We are pleased that we are doing all this good stuff, but we need to carry on," Jorginho said.

"Because if we just think 'oh yeah, nice, it's done'¦ no, we just need to put your head down and keep pushing, being humble and keep going.

"We need to not be just happy for what we are doing. Of course, we are happy but we want to keep being happy.

"So, to be like that we just need to keep pushing and working hard."

Arsenal's seventh Premier League win on the bounce pushes shambolic Sheffield United further towards an immediate return to the Championship.

The Blades also made history on Monday, becoming the first English side to lose three consecutive home league games by at least a five-goal margin.

It was the kind of performance that raises questions over Chris Wilder's future but the United boss says it only strengthened his drive to rebuild his boyhood club.

"It cements it," he said. "As far as I'm concerned in a way I'll wake up tomorrow and it'll strengthen my resolve to get this right because it's a big job, we understand that."

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