Arsenal were forced to dig deep in their Premier League trip to Newcastle United as two late goals sealed a huge 2-1 win at St. James' Park.
Defending champions Liverpool have been the late goal kings in recent weeks, but it was Arsenal's turn to break Eddie Howe's resistance, after Arne Slot snatched victory on Tyneside back in August.
The Gunners wasted of early chances before summer signing Nick Woltemade powered home a superb opener for the hosts before half-time.
Arteta threw on a host of substitutes to try and turn the tide, as former Newcastle midfielder Mikel Merino came off the bench to nod home an equaliser on 84 minutes, before Gabriel headed the clincher past Nick Pope in the sixth minute of added time.
As the travelling Gunners fans celebrated high up in the stands, the result began to sink with Arteta's ecstatic squad, as the gap at the top of the table closes to two points behind leaders Liverpool after six games.
With so much focus on Arsenal's mental resilience, after three second-place finishes across the last three campaigns, Arteta believes this is exactly the type of result that can end the two-decade wait for and EPL crown.
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"I think we fully deserved the win. The way we played, performed and competed. The chances we generated, we deserved to win. We did it in a dramatic way but we deserved to win," as per BBC Sport.
"That is how you get to a different level. By going through these moments and taking the lessons from it. It was a massive opportunity to make a statement and to prove to everybody and ourselves the team that we are.
"The courage, determination and quality we played with today. We want to achieve the next level, and to do that, you have to come to these places and get results."
Arteta's immediate focus now turns to the UEFA Champions League - and a home tie with Olympiakos on October 1 - before hosting West Ham United three days later ahead of the incoming FIFA international break.
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