When Reiss Nelson's shot rippled the back of the Bournemouth net in the 97th minute and secured an unlikely 3-2 win at the start of March, it seemed that Arsenal had begun to harness the resolve of champions.

Across previous campaigns, the Gunners developed a reputation as a team that would contend for the top spot to start the season before trailing off near December or January and shifting their focus to securing a European spot.

It was a trend many expected Mikel Arteta's side to continue this season after they lost Gabriel Jesus, their defining player at the start of the season, to injury during the World Cup in Qatar last December.

Arsenal conceded the second-fastest goal in Premier League history and continued to leak chances in defence. But, when crunch time came, all that went out the window as it has done so this season for the Gunners. In fact, Arsenal have fought back from losing positions to claim 15 points this season, more than any other side.

 The Brazilian had started all 14 of Arsenal's Premier League games and played a pivotal role, helping the side go five points clear. Arsenal, expected to implode in the aftermath, showed the fire in their belly when they refused to give up an inch, instead adapting perfectly.

Eddie Nketiah became the solution from within while Leandro Trossard was bought in the winter and began to contribute immediately. Others continued to grow remarkably. Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard have all hit double figures for league goals, a feat only matched across Europe's top 10 leagues by the Parisien trident of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.

Aided by all that, Arsenal remain five points clear after 13 more games, and Jesus back on the cusp of the starting eleven.

There was a moment to remember just ahead of the clash against Bournemouth as well, with Arteta naming a starting XI that featured no players who had played under Arsene Wenger, the first time since January of 1986.

Yes, Arsenal conceded the second-fastest goal in Premier League history and continued to leak chances in defence. But, when crunch time came, all that went out the window as it has done so this season for the Gunners. In fact, Arsenal have fought back from losing positions to claim 15 points this season, more than any other side.

Despite having one of the youngest first-team squads in the top flight and one of the youngest managers, the team has certainly not shown that 'soft underbelly' that more physical teams often took advantage of in the past. Such a young group should ostensibly also have been more susceptible to crumbling under pressure in a battle to win the club's first league title in 19 years.

But while implementing broader changes at Arsenal has been an arduous process for Arteta, there was one clear moment when the mentality of the team changed.

Arsenal were chasing a top-four spot with three games to go at the end of last season when losses to Newcastle and Tottenham ended their hopes.

"We all have this fire burning inside because of what happened at the end of last season. The experiences at the end of last season are adding to our team spirit and mentality," goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale said. "The day I returned to pre-season, the standard of training had increased. People were demanding more of each other. There were always certain people who were upset when losing in training but now it is a collective."

With their sights on a prize so much greater, the path was bound to be tougher. And, as a cursory look at the fixture list and a precarious five-point lead shows, Arsenal's most trying days are yet to come.

They must first ensure that they do not drop points during their upcoming matches against a struggling Crystal Palace or relegation candidates Leeds United, West Ham (A), and Southampton. During that stint, they will also have to travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool.

But over the last six games of the season, the task becomes truly monumental.

The Gunners must first travel to the Etihad and face Manchester City, a clash that could potentially define the season, before hosting Chelsea for a London derby. Immediately afterwards, they will be challenged by Newcastle and Brighton, both teams hoping to finish in the European spots.

By that time, they should have their full complement of players. But whether they can latch onto the burgeoning belief that they have discovered and find the fuel for the hard yards will determine if their title challenge will remain just that, or finally translate to something greater.