Former Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has identified the belief that Mikel Arteta has instilled in the squad - stating that even he is under the Spaniard's spell.
The Gunners maintained their unbeaten streak in 2020 with a 1-0 victory over Olympiacos in the Europa League, providing them with a narrow advantage for next week's second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
It was a hard-fought result for Arsenal, which also saw them secure a sixth clean sheet in 11 matches, and saw a significant improved witnessed in the closing 20 minutes of the match.
While Arteta is still in the early days of his managerial career, he has already made an impact amongst the fans and has provided renewed optimism.
Van Persie has also identified the rise in belief amongst the squad, issuing praise upon Arteta for the message he has sent to his squad.
"I like listening to Mikel. He's round-up of the game is very honest and open. If I listen to him, I believe him. I do believe, in terms of how the player's behave and play on the pitch, that the players believe him as well," he told BT Sport.
"He's very clear, he sounds like the leader of the team and that's good because most managers don't do that but he's doing it, he's showing how it can be done.
"As a player, it's very important that when you listen to your coach during meetings, during games, that you believe in him, you're on your toes and you think 'yes, the coach knows it'.
"The players look happier than they did a couple of months ago, so they are signs as well that they are moving in the right direction."
