Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who started the season with more silverware after guiding the Gunners to a 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield [Pedro Soares / SPP]

WITH three wins out of three, six goals scored and only one conceded, there’s no doubt that Arsenal have made a positive start to their Premier League campaign.

Even without adding a marquee attacking superstar to their squad in the summer, pundits and ex-players are insisting in unison that the champions will retain their crown.

But ahead of the Gunners’ trip to the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening, there’s one premature question doing the rounds that even Mikel Arteta is keen to gloss over: can Arsenal go the whole league season unbeaten, again?

Arteta has consistently dismissed comparisons to Arsene Wenger’s legendary 2003/04 “Invincibles” – still the only side that has ever won the Premier League without losing a single game.

Such is the depth of Arteta’s squad, however, that many in the game are wondering just who can stop the Gunners?

Chelsea thought that they might be in with a shout on Sunday, especially after Morgan Rogers fired them ahead inside 77 seconds.

But, if anything, that goal only seemed to irritate Arsenal, who confidently turned the match around to win 2-1, thanks to strikes from former Blues forward Kai Havertz and skipper Martin Odegaard.

For good measure, in the second half Arteta turned to the bench to bring on World Cup winners Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, Piero Hincapie – a player nicknamed “the Emperor” – a £60m-plus striker in Viktor Gyokeres, and England international Noni Madueke. All while leaving the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Eberechi Eze and Max Dowman sitting on the sidelines.

So, just who can stop Arsenal? Arteta is well aware that it could be anyone if his side let their standards slip.

Asked how difficult it is to remain unbeaten in the Premier League, the Gunners boss said: “It’s going to be super hard, with the margins that you win games. You saw that a few days ago when we went to Villa Park, and it was a really tough one, and today again [against Chelsea].

“Now we go to Sunderland, and it’s going to be so, so tough again. We know every week will be like this, but that’s what we’re prepared for.”

One additional X-factor that Arsenal have at their disposal is a fit-again and free-flowing Odegaard, who has now scored three goals in four games including the Community Shield.

Praising his Arsenal captain, Arteta said: “First of all, he feels fit, and confidence-wise, it’s the highest I’ve seen him. He has a point to prove from last season, from missing so much football [due to injury].

“He demands so much of himself. He wants to be the best – perfect, at everything. He’s so efficient in other things as well, and he’s playing with real joy. He was phenomenal.”