Arsenal tops Premier League again, but can Mikel Arteta finally deliver title?

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Arsenal is back in familiar territory at the top of the Premier League. But can Mikel Arteta finally get the job done?

After only eight games, no one at the Emirates will be celebrating yet, although this season looks like Arsenal's best chance to win the title for the first time since 2004.

With a three-point lead over second-placed Manchester City and a four-point advantage over defending champion Liverpool, Arsenal's title-winning credentials have been laid out early.

And having overcome a challenging start to the season with games against Manchester United, Liverpool, City and Newcastle, the Londoners are still flying high.

But we've been here before. Three straight seasons as runner-up have raised questions about Arsenal's ability to get over the line. Especially having led the standings for much of the way in 2022-23 and 2023-24 only to be pipped by City in the run in.

Perhaps most disappointing was last season when manager Arteta wasn't able to take advantage of a City team that went into freefall, and instead watched as Arne Slot lifted the title in his first year at Liverpool.

Since then more money has been spent on stellar signings like Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi to give Arsenal arguably the most balanced squad in the top flight.

Nine clean sheets in 12 games in all competitions, including four in a row, is evidence of Arsenal's formidable defense. The 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday pointed to its attacking power, too, and was a sixth straight win.

On Sunday comes the test of last season's FA Cup winner Crystal Palace, which has already beaten Liverpool and drawn at Chelsea this term. It is a potential stumbling block, which if overcame, will only strengthen the belief that Arsenal's time has come.

After back-to-back wins in the league for the first time as Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim is looking to make it three in a row against Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

It is one thing to turn up against big rivals like Liverpool, it is another to produce consistent performances week in, week out and that has been a problem for United dating back to before Amorim's arrival last year. For instance, Brighton has won at Old Trafford in three years running, so the dangers are clear.

Liverpool is back to winning ways after a 5-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League and travels to Brentford on Saturday. City is at a resurgent Aston Villa, having lost at Villa Park for the last two seasons.

Danny Welbeck is on a hot streak at the age of 34, with four goals in his last three games. How he'd love to continue that run against United, the club where he started his career.

The goals are flowing for Newcastle duo Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade as well, with the duo helping to fill the void left by Alexander Isak's move to Liverpool.

Gordon has four in his last seven games for Newcastle and summer signing Woltemade has five in nine since his move from Stuttgart.

Newcastle hosts Fulham on Sunday.

Injuries are mounting for Liverpool. Isak and Jeremie Frimpong were withdrawn at halftime against Frankfurt, while Ryan Gravenberch was left out of the squad after an injury against United last week.

City's Nico Gonzalez hobbled off with an apparent right knee injury against Villarreal midweek to give manager Pep Guardiola more cause for concern after Rodri was sidelined with a hamstring problem.

Yet more upheaval at Nottingham Forest saw Sean Dyche become the club's third manager in a season that is still just weeks old.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis left fans in little doubt about his feelings when leaving his seat during Forest's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last week and Ange Postecoglou was promptly fired.

Now Dyche is in the hot seat and will know how demanding his new boss is. A trip to third-placed Bournemouth is a tough place to take charge of his first league game in the job.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Sean Dyche is unveiled as Nottingham Forest manager at the City Ground, Nottingham, England, Wednesday Oct. 22, 2025. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester United in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Manchester United's Harry Maguire celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester United in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

Arsenal's Viktor Gyoekeres, left, celebrates with Arsenal's Gabriel after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in London, England, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid in London, England, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

In the past week, many Americans remained focused on the economy, inflation and how those forces could impact their lives. Trips to the grocery store or gas station are more painful than they were last year, and that is impacting the decisions of both households and businesses.

Here’s a snapshot of prominent economic data and news that occurred over the past week and what it potentially means for you.

America’s employers delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs last month despite an economic shock from the Iran war.

Hiring was better than the 65,000 forecasters had expected, though it decelerated from the 185,000 jobs created in March. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Healthcare added 37,000 jobs last month and retailers 22,000. However, manufacturers cut 2,000 jobs in April and have shed 66,000 jobs over the past year despite President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies aimed at creating factory jobs.

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose again this week, reflecting ongoing bond market volatility as surging oil prices due to the war with Iran heighten inflation worries.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.37% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from one year ago, when the rate averaged 6.76%.

This is the second straight weekly increase, bringing the average rate back to where it was four weeks ago.

Weekly U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting.

The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969, was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000.

Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

U.S. job openings were essentially unchanged in March but hiring improved before the full impact of the Iran war hit the economy.

Employers posted 6.87 million jobs in March, compared to 6.92 million in February, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

The job market has been up and down so far this year after a dismal 2025. And the Iran war, which began Feb. 28, has clouded the outlook for the economy and hiring.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed that layoffs rose in March. But hiring improved: Employers added 5.55 million gross jobs, the most since February 2024. More Americans also quit their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects.

U.S. stocks rose toward new highs to end the week on promising news in the labor market and also more strong earnings for major U.S. corporations.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% toward an all-time high after a report said U.S. employers added 115,000 more jobs than they cut last month, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty for everyone.

While hiring slowed from March’s level, it was nevertheless nearly double what economists expected. And it kept the S&P 500 on track for a sixth straight winning week, which would be its longest such streak since 2024. The U.S. stock market has blasted higher since late March, in part on hopes that the war will not mean a worst-case scenario for the global economy and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again.

Trader Edward McCarthy, left, and Michael Milano work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - The per-gallon price is displayed elecronically over the grades of gasoline available at a Buc-ee's convenience stop Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Johnstown, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

FILE - Hiring sign for sales professionals is displayed at a store, in Vernon Hills, Ill., Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)