Jack Wilshere is optimistic that Arsenal can finish top of the league, despite the 12 point gap that’s already opened up and the Gunners losing heavily to two of their title ‘rivals’.

Jack was speaking to the Evening Standard at the premiere of the new Arsenal film “89” on Wednesday night, and said the target was still to be champions, explaining: “We’re still only in November, we have to keep working hard, keep plugging away, picking up points at home.

“You know, our home form is tremendous, away form needs to improve a bit but we’re going to be fighting to win the league ultimately, we don’t feel it’s over.

“We know it’s a tough league with high quality in it and City are top at the moment, but we’ve got to keep working hard.”

Manchester City are currently top of the table by eight points, having won 10 and drawn one of their first 11 games. In the process, they’ve scored 38 goals and only conceded seven, giving them a goal difference of 31 to Arsenal’s four (+27).

Although United have conceded fewer goals, you always feel City will outscore whomever they play, so it doesn’t matter if they concede a few more.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have conceded more than three times the number of goals as United, and scored just over half the number of goals as City. Continuing at that kind of rate, there’s no chance the Gunners will be catching the top teams anytime soon.

But, as Jack says, Arsenal’s home form has been very good so far.

That’s partly because there haven’t been too many tough tests at home, but third-placed Tottenham are up next. They’ll give the Gunners a chance to show whether that home form can survive against the stronger teams as well.

If it can’t, I’m not sure Jack will be so optimistic.