Arsene Wenger has insisted that Arsenal's charge for the Premier League title this season will go the distance thanks to his players' 'strong mentality and maturity'.
The Gunners are in the mix to end their long wait for top-flight silverware, having lost just one of their 15 games so far to find themselves second in the table.
Arsenal have a history of drifting away when the going gets tough, but Wenger is confident that a renewed resilience - which has helped his side recover from a goal down six times already this term - will keep them on track throughout the campaign.
"The strong mentality of the players is first down to the fact that we have more maturity in the squad," he told reporters. "We played for many years with a very young squad, so under pressure they are a bit more vulnerable.
"And as well, to the recent history of the team, we have not lost for a long time and that creates as well strength in the squad and belief, and trust, and that is of course much more linked with that. I look at history of the games and there is always turning points that have gone for us.
"I am conscious that is very tight, but I am conscious there is a resilience in the squad because it is not a coincidence we have come from behind six times. We always had [resilience], but maybe we had less experience, belief."
Arsenal are back in action on Tuesday evening with a trip to face Everton at Goodison Park, before taking on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium five days later.
Daniel Lewis
