Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said it was too early to dismiss Manchester United as contenders for the Premier League title.
He spoke ahead of his team's match against Ruben Amorim's rejuvenated United on Wednesday.
United trailed league leaders Liverpool by 15 points and were four points behind the Champions League spots after 13 matches. Despite their struggles under the recently dismissed Erik ten Hag, Arteta believed they could still compete.
"It's still very early in the season," Arteta said at Tuesday's press conference. Arsenal sat second in the table, six points ahead of United. "Any team that has the capacity to put five or six wins in a row is going to be up there because it's so tough and you see every week how all the teams are struggling to maintain winning, winning and winning. So I think anything is possible."
Arteta also warned against ruling out Manchester City despite their poor form. The defending champions lost their past four league matches, leaving them 11 points behind Liverpool. "Again, if there is a team with the capacity to turn it around and start to win, win, win and win –- don't rule them out because you know how much quality they have," he added.
Arsenal aimed to extend their strong home record against United, who showed promise under Amorim, winning two and drawing one of their three matches since his arrival. Arteta noted the positive impact of the former Sporting Lisbon boss.
"You can see his fingerprints in what he wants to do straight away," he said. "I think he's been very clear, he's been very successful with Sporting. He brings energy to a new club and to the players new ideas and that's always something positive but we have to focus on what we have to do."
Arsenal and United will also face each other in the FA Cup third round early next month. Arteta anticipated another tough challenge. "We play at home, it's going to be a big match again and it's a little bit of the story of the last few seasons that in the third or fourth round we are playing big opponents," he said.
"But we want to do what we have done historically at this club and in the end, you have to beat the big teams to win it. It is what it is. We are excited."
