Mikel Arteta said that he could not be “prouder or happier” after his Arsenal side restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with a 4-1 win against Tottenham on Sunday that he suggested could be a “turning point” in their season.

This was an emphatic response after squandering a 2-0 lead at Wolves on Wednesday, a result that means City will win the league if they win all their remaining 11 games this season.

“After what happened against Wolves it was tough but that’s the beauty of this game,” Arteta said. “You watch it back and you cannot understand how they drew that game. You feel angry, upset, ashamed. We are all different nationalities, different people, but it’s been a joy to see how we came together and asked: ‘How will we use it to be a turning point and make ourselves better?’ It’s much bigger than a job – it’s our passion, our purpose. It’s very painful but it can be very rewarding.”

The Arsenal manager was notably relaxed as he prepares for his first week without a midweek game for two months. “It feels that we showed what we are made of,...