Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he believes his side "surprised" Manchester United with the ferocity of their start as they won 3-0 at the Emirates.
The Gunners were three goals clear after 19 minutes as Alexis Sanchez backheeled them in front from a Mesut Ozil cross, with Theo Walcott teeing up Ozil for a second only seconds later.
Sanchez then fired a superb finish high into the net to make it three, and although United made changes and improved after the break they were unable to find a way back into the game.
Wenger told the BBC: "We started strong and pressed very high. We did not give them any chances to score, and that was vital. We surprised them with our start.
"From Petr Cech to Theo Walcott, we only had superb performances.
"I have managed many strong teams and never had one that played 60 games at the same level. You have to accept that, we are human beings."
Cech's excellence in goal must have been a relief for Arsene Wenger after a tough few days dominated by the decision to play David Ospina in the Champions League.
The Frenchman bristled this week when asked about the choice to leave Petr Cech out of the starting lineup in Tuesday's shock 3-2 defeat to Olympiakos -- a result Arsenal bounced back from impressively.
"I've been at the club for 19 years and I know what you want is a strong response in a big game when you have a big disappointment," Wenger said. "But we [took it in] perspective and focused on what is important. It's us and not too much what was said and we focused on what is important in the game and that is part of being at the top level.
"The pressure on any disappointment today is massive and it's maybe a little bit more difficult to deal with it but we did well."
Wenger downplayed Sanchez's injury as a "little groin problem." However, there was certainly no talking down the importance of a result that puts them two points off leaders City.
"To win in a big game is always a statement," Wenger said. "We are in it, we are two points off the league leaders, Manchester City, so I hope that result today will give us belief to fight for it."