Exclusive West Ham star: This HAS to be Arsenal's year and Arteta...

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone

The dice appears to be well and truly loaded in Arsenal's favour this season according to a West Ham legend.

A 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor saw Mikel Arteta's men extend their victorious streak to nine games and open up a seven-point gap at the top of the Premier League.

Remarkably the Gunners haven't conceded a goal since their 2-1 away win at Newcastle in late September.

There's been a surge of optimism and wind in their sails since their recruitment splurge in the summer.

And Ferdinand Jr. told Capital Football: "Now Arsenal have go the depth that they've been looking for.

"They got a number 9 but they got depth in wide areas.

"A lot of players, who when Saka is injured, suspended or going through a tough time can come into the team.

"This has to be their year!

"They've run teams close over the last three, four years.

"But how many times can you say they've run them close?

"I think now Arteta needs to win something [and] he's definitely got he source to do that this year."

Asked whether Arsenal would have long been crowned champions in any other league, the former Hammers and QPR centre-back said: "One hundred per cent!

"In the era that we're in now, with the likes of Liverpool and City... Arsenal would have been champions by now for sure with the team that Mikel Arteta assembled, put together and put his stamp on.

"But that's the era he's in and he has to compete in this era.

"There's teams outspending him, outspending Arsenal...

"However the fact that they've run Manchester City and Liverpool this close... this is the year where they've got to step up because they got all the armoury that they need."