Arsenal the champions in waiting but doing it the hard way

This season hasn't always been easy on the eye, but Arsenal are now on the brink of their first Premier League title in 22 years.

The Gunners were made to sweat yet again in their dramatic 1-0 win over relegation-threatened West Ham, with Leandro Trossard's score and a disallowed West Ham goal the difference for Mikel Arteta's side.

The vital victory stretched Arsenal's lead to five points ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand, and put league silverware in touching distance after three successive second-placed finishes.

Some will say Arteta's side have got here the hard way, while others will argue victories secured when a team does just enough to get over the line is the mark of champions.

The 1-0 win over West Ham was the seventh time this season Arsenal have won by that scoreline in the Premier League.

It wraps up what has been a crucial week for the club, with title rivals Manchester City dropping points in midweek.

Before the win over Fulham last weekend, Arsenal had won just two of their previous eight games in all competitions and suffered back-to-back defeats in the league for the first time during those matches, too.

But now after three successive wins without conceding a goal, one of which secured their place in the Champions League final, Arsenal are on the cusp of history.

"What a moment, what an afternoon, what a week it's been for us," Arteta said.

"So full of emotions, I cannot praise enough the attitude, the desire, the courage and the quality of the team shown throughout this week, because there was so much at stake and today we knew against a team that is fighting for their life, a club with an incredible history, how tough it was going to be."