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Discussing the title race, Bukayo Saka said: "In the past, the games like Newcastle away, we've never really got a good result. This year we did.

"But I also think it's a bit early in the year to talk about the title race, we're still in October. I've been in a title race the last three years now. What I've learnt from that is now isn't so important, it's in April that you need to try be first place.

"Now is about staying around it, building momentum. It's still a bit early to talk about winning the title based off a few results that in the past haven't gone our way."

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In an interview with Sky Sports, Bukayo Saka has given his thoughts on Arsenal's season so far - and their Premier League title hopes.

"When you're an Arsenal player, there's this constant talk about where you're finishing, how you're performing. Sometimes I feel it's even over-analysed," Saka said.

"This year, I feel we're a very strong group and have a lot of quality.

"It's making me really believe we can do it."

Arsenal

Arsenal are in action tonight, at home to Brighton, as they look to move a step closer to a first major trophy since the FA Cup in 2019-20.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has offered an update on the Gunners' team news and confirmed William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli will be unavailable for the game.

But Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori are all available.

Rice was forced off with an injury in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend, however Arteta confirmed the midfielder is back fit and available for selection.

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Michael: Morning Phil! Many out there vehemently criticise the "set piece and long throw" approach underlying this season's Premier League football. However, managers openly hail this style as direct and important in getting results. Where do you stand on this? Is football getting boring after all, or fans unduly fickle?

Phil: Hello Michael. Football fans usually find it entertaining when they are winning and not so great when they are losing, so in that respect they can be fickle. Let’s face it, we’re all a bit fickle when it comes to football.

I have not the slightest problem with managers and coaches using whatever methods they wish to get results, so long as it is within the rules.

If a team has a particular strength then use it. All power to them. They would be fools not to utilise strengths.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says improvements in coaching, tactical set-ups and the conditioning of players mean open-play goals are now harder to come by.

Following Sunday's 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium, in which Eberechi Eze scored from a set-piece, Arteta said: "We are noticing a shift. The moment the physicality increases, methods that are implemented are more efficient and the game is more difficult to play because you can constrain spaces, because physically you are better.

"You have to find ways to score in different ways and that's what I think everybody's trying to do."

There is no doubt other sides are focusing more on scoring from a set-piece, particularly corners, and there has been a significant increase in the number of goals being scored via corners across Europe's major leagues in comparison to last season.

Among the leading European leagues, the Premier League has recorded the largest share of goals from corners in the past two seasons.

Following Tottenham's 3-0 victory against Everton on Sunday, Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank said: "Set-pieces are so crucial. Right now, Arsenal is on track for the title from set-pieces."

Eli: Hi Phil, I feel there is an air of criticism around Arsenal scoring so many from set pieces, but I think it’s a real skill. What are your thoughts?

Phil: Hello, Eli. No problem with this at all. Arsenal may not be as easy on the eye as they have been in the past, but look at the Premier League table.

They are superb at set pieces. It brings them lots of goals, and unless something has changed the object of the exercise is to score goals.

If goals from set pieces, allied to strong defence, finally helps Arsenal to win the league then you will not find any of their fans complaining.

I saw a lot of Stoke City under Tony Pulis – who has done his first BBC Sport column today on this very subject – and never felt the need to criticise them.

I was at Brentford on Saturday night and they tormented Liverpool with long throws, but there was a lot more to their strategy than that and the same applies to lots of other teams.

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That has certainly got us thinking here at BBC Sport HQ.

One suggestion is that West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, as a former goalkeeper, has probably got strong arms on him...

Shall we just introduce this in Premier League games for a bonus point?

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The promoted sides have made a promising start in the Premier League, after the past two seasons saw the three clubs that came up go straight back down.

This campaign Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley are fourth, 15th and 16th respectively after nine games. Collectively they have 38 points and only twice before have the newly promoted teams collectively won more points than that.

According to Opta, only in the 2005/06 season (Wigan Athletic, West Ham and Sunderland) and the 1992/93 campaign (Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town) have accumulated more.

One of the three promoted sides is having a better return than the others, in Sunderland, and only four managers of promoted sides have had a better start than Sunderland's Regis Le Bris.

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Barry: Can all three promoted teams buck the recent trend and avoid relegation?

Phil: Hello, Barry. Simple answer – yes.

All three have had good results so far this season, especially Sunderland, while more established Premier League clubs such as West Ham and Wolves have problems written all over them.

I tipped Leeds United as the one promoted club who might buck the “three up, three straight back down” trend, but now they, along with Sunderland and Burnley, will feel they have a real chance after all showing ambition in the transfer window.

How refreshing it would be to see these promoted clubs not simply resigned to their relegation fate, as others have seemed to be in the past.

I predicted Wolves would be relegated and I’ve seen nothing there to change my mind.

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Amid Everton's struggles in front of goal this season, it is winger Iliman Ndiaye who stands as their top-scorer across all competitions this campaign.

So far this season the Toffees have competed in the EFL Cup, in which they were knocked out by Wolves in the third round, along with the Premier League.

Between those competitions, Ndiaye has scored three goals, while Beto is the only other Everton player to score more than once so far.

Beto has two goals while James Garner, Carlos Alcaraz, Michael Keane, Idrissa Gueye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish all have one.

Which team would benefit most from the introduction of the arm wrestle rule, I wonder?

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Everton manager David Moyes has been swapping between his strikers Beto and Thierno Barry this season but between them they have just one Premier League goal.

They have both featured in all nine league fixtures that the Toffees have played but the only score has come from Beto, who netted in Everton's 3-2 win over Wolves in August.

Barry is yet to get on the scoresheet after being signed by the club in the summer for from Villarreal for £27m.

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Terry: Do you think Everton have the worst forward options in the Premier League? Beto is nowhere near the required level technically, Barry looks lost since joining in the summer. I can’t think of a team with worse options.

Phil: Hello, Terry. I’m sorry to have to agree with you here. If not the worst, then among the worst.

Beto is short of consistent Premier League class, struggles with hold up play and misses too many chances. Thierno Barry is, shall we say, a work in progress.

Everton spent £27m on Barry in the summer to bring him from Villarreal when there were already doubts over Beto’s pedigree. They bought a raw, developing player when they needed something nearer the finished article.

It is clear manager David Moyes shares those doubts from the number of times he has swapped them, for games and during games.

It is an obvious flaw that is already costing Everton points. They have real creation with Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye, but the lack of a reliable striker is letting them down and will continue to do so.

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One option Arne Slot no longer has is Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Diaz has made a strong start to life in Germany since his transfer, with five goals and four assists from eight Bundesliga games.

The 28-year-old was a key figure in Liverpool's title winning campaign last season, with 17 goals and eight assists across 50 appearances in all competitions.

Having struggled to find the net as often as last season, questions are starting to be asked on why Liverpool let their star man leave to join the Bundesliga champions.

So, are Liverpool missing the attacking flair of Diaz? Or was the £65 million deal good business from the club?

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Oliver: A lot of Liverpool's woes have been placed on the defensive side, but do you think Liverpool losing Luis Diaz and having no direct replacement for the left wing is being understated?

Phil: Morning, Oliver. Really good point. I think Liverpool are struggling as new signings try to settle in and head coach Arne Slot attempts to find a balance in his team, but you are right. I think they are missing the urgency, direct approach and the goals of Luis Diaz.

He had a superb season when they won the title, but in Liverpool’s defence, it was Diaz who seemed determined to leave for Bayern Munich rather than being pushed out the door.