Scribbled on the chalkboard of a burger van just outside the Emirates Stadium - a frank pre-match message awaited Mikel Arteta. It read: "Arteta, now we want more, no excuses."
Back in May, the Spaniard publicly ordered the Arsenal hierarchy to "do what they had to do" in the summer transfer market. Seven signings - plus a club-record spend that has now exceeded £260million - later, it's fair to reflect that sporting director Andrea Berta has delivered emphatically.
Now Arteta and his Gunners players must do the same because there is no longer any margin for error. After obliterating Leeds, they look well equipped for whatever challenges lie ahead but injuries to Martin Odegaard and goalscoring talisman Bukayo Saka, who both hobbled off, offered a cruel reminder that ending the 21-year wait for Premier League title glory will be far from straightforward.
The revitalised Gunners have ticked every box required where new arrivals are concerned and the pre-match unveiling of Eberechi Eze created an exuberant energy that rippled around the Emirates. Supporters are hopeful Eze, released by Arsenal as a teary-eyed 13-year-old in 2011, will not be the only thing returning to north London this season because they've waited far too long for domestic supremacy.
READ MORE: Arsenal dealt huge double injury blow as Bukayo Saka forced off in Leeds match
READ MORE: Viktor Gyokeres grabs first Arsenal goal but two injuries sour Leeds win - 5 talking points
On the basis of the opening two matches, it's not a stretch to make Arteta's challengers favourites given they now arguably boast the strongest squad in the division.
The axis of the side - David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba - remains the same, Declan Rice is pulling the strings in midfield but there is a fresh feel to Arsenal's attack.
Their defensive record is unquestionable but they desperately required extra firepower and Arsenal now seem to have found just that in Viktor Gyokeres, who marked his first top-flight match at the Emirates with an impressive brace.
Last weekend at Old Trafford he failed to have a shot for the first time since April 2023, ending a run of 69 consecutive league appearances in which he registered at least one attempt at goal.

It was the kind of tricky outing that will have tested his mental durability and when he fluffed his lines from close range inside seven minutes against Leeds, you feared he was suffering a confidence crisis.
His first, a bullish solo run and ruthless finish, was the kind of goal that showcased precisely why Arsenal bought him.
When Eze settles into his new surroundings, his unpredictability and creative spark will help the Swede's numbers explode to even greater heights.
Arsenal were also threatening from dead-balls again, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover added two more to his collection, as Jurrien Timber notched a rare brace and you just get the sense Arsenal won't struggle for goals this season. Continue to keep them out at the other end and that's a recipe for both success and silverware.
Sceptics have questioned whether this side's race has already been run following three successive second-place finishes. However, the five-star demolition of Daniel Farke's powerless Whites was living proof there is a real arrogance and hunger about Arsenal.
Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri are all battling for a starting berth. But they are probably more concerned about 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman, now officially the second-youngest player in Premier League history after Nwaneri, reducing their minutes following another stunning cameo.
There is simply no way he should be held back because he has the ability to single-handedly bamboozle and embarrass opposition defences.
He went within a whisker of finding the target and if Arteta is somehow able to find a way of accommodating both Saka and Dowman, the results could be incredibly frightening.
Dowman's razor-sharp footwork saw him win a late penalty converted by Gyokeres and while the Hale End star is not a signing - he feels just as good as one, if not better.
Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
You may also like
SC orders status quo in Sambhal mosque row
Remove tough grease from extractor fans in 11 minutes with 1 natural item cleaner loves
Ukrainian soldiers to be trained by Britain for another year
'Whistleblower' in Dharmasthala mass burials case arrested
Deep space exploration next, prepare for it: Modi to scientists