WELCOME back Arsenal fans, and it’s a big hello to all the supporters who have got rather overexcited at the sight of the Gunners beating Crystal Palace on Friday night.

The ecstasy overload nicely illustrated where the club seems to be at the moment: relieved at getting a win against Crystal Palace.

Sometimes copies of this paper end up being left on a train and someone randomly picks it up in south London, so I shan’t be too dismissive about what has been achieved in the first match. What if a copy fell into the hands of my old hero Patrick Vieria?

But, if we’re honest, it’s quite a journey from the Invincibles to the creamy delight which greeted a win at Selhurst Park. Times have certainly changed. It used to be a given that Arsenal would depart from any fixture against Palace with three points.

Still, a win is a win and who is to pop the ambition and excitement so early into a new term. The title race is still in our own hands. If we win another 37, it’s coming home to the Emirates.

And there are good things to watch. Gabriel Jesus’s enthusiasm is a delight. William Saliba’s long-awaited first team chance is a godsend. Fabio Vieira sounds exciting too. It will never happen but if Mikel Arteta could stumble across the idea of getting Emile Smith Rowe into the team and playing Ben White in central midfield instead of yellow card liability Granit Xhaka, then you might even get a smile out of me.

Last season’s lows still smart though, especially the surrender in the run-in And I can’t be totally convinced in the rebirth while players that the “new” management brought in are already among those that are leaving.

It was under Arteta’s watch that Arsenal signed Pablo Mari, Alex Runar Runnarsson and Nuno Tavares, and it’s spectacular how quickly it’s been realised they are not right for his line-up. He also signed Willian and had the flop gone a year later. It has all felt hit-and-miss until the arrival of Gabriel Jesus. In the end, the big cheques count, and which is why the golden rule remains: the team which spends the most money, wins the trophy. City fans will say they broke even or something equally boring, but that’s before you factor in Erling Haaland’s wages. It’s still a money mountain.

And yet, if you fear the worst about what’s building down the road, and how Spurs somehow have five strikers to Arsenal’s two: the grotesque City financial outlay actually remains the “get out of jail” card. Conte and co can do what they want but they’ll always be outspent, out-moneyed by Guardiola’s champions.