When Arsenal beat Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in April, it was hailed as the moment they arrived on the elite European stage under Mikel Arteta. The then-reigning Champions League winners were brought to their knees.

Six months later the same fate fell to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. European clubs are watching on with admiration and fear of Arsenal again.

The similarities between the two Madrid contests are there – Declan Rice delivering from two set-pieces being a common denominator. Arsenal deservedly winning via control, not chaos, is another.

But beating Atleti in this manner feels different. It may even be better.

This win may not have had the grand atmosphere or significance of the Real Champions League quarter-final – there is a long way to go in this season.

But Arsenal were a great team on the pitch against Real. Against Atleti, who are a presence in Europe in their own right, they looked unstoppable. Arsenal have more reasons to say they can win the trophies this season after this win, whereas it had more of a ‘cup run’ feel by beating Real last season.

They were playing a Simeone side – one of the most difficult teams to beat in Europe if the last decade is anything to go by. And this was not a bad performance from the Spanish side, it was vintage Atleti for nearly an hour. Frustrating, stubborn, capable of getting a result.

But Arsenal ended up blowing them away – with a bit of Simeone style.

Arsenal were impossible to break down themselves – and not for the first time this season. Just one shot on target was allowed against a team who scored five goals against Real Madrid in LaLiga earlier this campaign, and another five in their last Champions League game against Eintracht Frankfurt.

In their last three games, David Raya has been forced into one save. Only one player has scored against them in open play all term – Erling Haaland.

Their three goals conceded is the lowest Arsenal have ever managed in their first 12 games in their entire history. They have nine clean sheets. So for all of the talk of George Graham and Arsene Wenger’s famous back fours, this backline is currently operating at a higher level.

That is not the only area where Arsenal are going into overdrive. The set-pieces are becoming quite frankly ridiculous.

In 12 matches, they now have 10 set-piece goals. The Atleti match was the fourth time this season they have netted twice from dead ball scenarios in a single game.

As an opposition, even if you defend well in a match, the set-piece team will still get you. At Fulham on Saturday, Marco Silva’s side defended immaculately until the 58th minute, when Leandro Trossard scored from a corner.

On Tuesday, Atleti did the same but Gabriel found a way from Rice’s free-kick in the 57th minute. It’s not just nearly a goal a game, it is becoming inevitable at a certain point in the match.

Some accuse Arsenal of relying on the set-pieces far too much. But when they operate them at this level, there can be very few critics of this tactic.

And if Arsenal can add a goalscoring centre forward to their mix, then they will have every ingredient covered.

It was a big night for Viktor Gyokeres, who had nine games without a goal for club and country coming into the Atleti game. He was also accused of stat-padding his goal numbers against the lesser sides over the past year – a narrative mainly fired at him in Portugal.

But this was two goals in a big Champions League game. And not just that, another selfless outing too. Gyokeres added goals to another display where he dragged defenders away, creating more space for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

If he can take some confidence from that double – with Crystal Palace, Brighton, Burnley, Slavia Prague and Sunderland to come before the next break – then Arsenal have another huge weapon in their locker.

Nobody has got close to harming Arsenal in a month. They are now Premier League leaders and joint-top of the Champions League.

With those favourable fixtures coming up for Arteta’s side, who played and toyed with Simeone’s Atleti like this, how close can their rivals get?