Update on the Premiership (October 2nd)

Arsenal appear to have really found their stride in the Premiership now and the Gunners are now a top-priced 7/1 with Betfred to usurp Chelsea as Premiership champions this season. Arsene Wenger's charges were around double their current price just three games into the season but they appear to have put their sluggish start well and truly behind them now and are playing with plenty of confidence. It has long been said that Arsenal find goals hard to come by in the absence of Thierry Henry and, it has to be said, there has been occasions when there seemed to a fair amount of credence behind this argument. However, the 23-year-old Dutchman Robin Van Persie continues to go from strength to strength and the ex-Feyenoord trainee has excelled under the expert guidance of manager Arsene Wenger. Indeed, Van Persie gets better with every game. He stole the show in Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Charlton at The Valley on Saturday, scoring both of the Gunners' goals, most notably the second with a breathtaking volley - a genuine candidate for goal of the season so far, it was that impressive! In that match Arsenal demonstrated their ability to fight for a result. They went behind following a 21st-minute strike from Darren Bent, but were well in control by the time Van Persie levelled things up after 32 minutes. Thereafter Arsenal asserted and won with greater authority than the scoreline may suggest. The defection of Ashley Cole to Chelsea has had minimal impact. William Gallas, whom Chelsea used as a makeweight in the Cole deal, offering him plus £5million for the England left-back, has integrated into the fold at Arsenal with aplomb. He has augmented Arsenal's defence, while the partnership of Gilberto and the rising star that is Cesc Fabregas are working extremely well in the middle of the park. Arsenal are now looking like a proper team with real intent about them. Man Utd head the table by virtue of a more favourable goal difference than reigning champions Chelsea. Sir Alex Ferguson's men have responded well following their defeat against Arsenal and after being held to a draw by Reading. Indeed, the Red Devils beat Benfica in their Champions League fixture in Portugal and then outpointed Newcastle courtesy of a brace from the evergreen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford on Saturday. United are 7/2 second favourites in most places for the Premiership title. Between now and Christmas Man Utd have two particularly significant matches at Theatre of Dreams when entertaining Liverpool on October 22 and then, perhaps most crucially of all, Chelsea come calling on November 26. With all due respect, the Blues haven't looked as superior as many had predicted. There can be little doubt that they are unrivalled in the Premiership in terms of strength in depth and they remain odds-on - a top-priced 9/20 with expekt - to retain their crown. But their does not appear to be the same level of cohesion within Jose Mourinho's side this season, something with which they have become synonymous over the past couple of seasons. Although the arrivals of Ballack and Shevchenko can hardly be viewed as being negative given the class of the players in question, having too many household names in any one team can often have a negative impact and, although it's relatively early days, the jury is out as to whether Sheva is going to fully acclimatise to the rigours of Premiership life. The scene is set for a cracking period leading up to Christmas and, it would seem, for all Abramovich's millions, the Russian billionaire's club look set for a real battle for the crown which they have assumed so decisively over the past two seasons.