Mikel Arteta had just seen his Arsenal team come up painfully short in their English Premier League title race with Manchester City and he couldn’t hide his anguish.

“I know we’re not at that level,” a crestfallen Arteta said last May, “but we have to find a way.”

Well, Arsenal’s upgraded class of 2024 are finding a way.

They are there again, leading the English Premier League with seven games left — just like last season.

And, once again, City are waiting to pounce. Will this year be different? The math is simple: save for an unlikely huge swing in goal difference, Arsenal can capture the league for the first time since 2004 by winning their last seven games.

In a remarkably tight title race, Arsenal are tied for points with Liverpool but have a superior goal difference of nine over Juergen Klopp’s team. City are a point back in third. Arsenal are in the driving seat, though, and are mounting an increasingly convincing case. The biggest concern for Arsenal might be their continued involvement in the Champions League, with a two-legged quarter final meeting with Bayern Munich coming up over the next two weeks.

Martin Odegaard, however, has insisted Arsenal do not fear anyone.

Champions League is Bayern’s and Harry Kane’s only chance of winning a trophy despite the ­England captain having scored 38 goals in his first season since ­arriving from ­Tottenham. Odegaard is wary of Kane’s threat but the Arsenal captain expects his side to rise to the challenge.

“We should respect him but I don’t think we should fear anyone,” he said. “We have to focus on ourselves. He’s a good player. I have played against him a few times and I know the ­quality he has.”

With inputs from AP/PTI