Five Arsenal storylines during Amazon filming including Aubameyang row

Before the season began, Arsenal became the latest sporting giant to strike a deal with Amazon Prime.

The Gunners granted the media giants unprecedented access to film a fly-on-the-wall feature documenting the season under Mikel Arteta.

However, as Arsenal fans know, following the Gunners is never quite straightforward. And given some of the incidents that have already occurred in north London prior to Christmas, it feels like Amazon have already hit the jackpot by selecting Arteta's side.

Although we have no idea just what will feature prominently when the documentary hits the airwaves, there's likely to be no shortage of footage for the editors to choose from.

Mirror Football hazards a guess at five big moments from the Gunners' season that are likely to come under the spotlight in the Amazon feature finally arrives, including a high-profile bust-up and a miserable start to the season...

Opening day

It may feel like an eternity ago, but Arsenal could hardly have conjured a worse start to the season of their documentary.

The Gunners kicked off the Premier League season with a visit to top-flight new boys Brentford - and were comprehensively beaten by the Bees.

Arteta was rocked by the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, who both missed the game through illness.

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But the players Arteta selected on the night badly let the Spaniard down by putting in an abject display in west London.

Brentford ran out 2-0 winners to mark their return to the top tier following a 74-year absence - and pile early pressure on the Gunners boss.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, and their long-suffering fans, things didn't improve after that chastening defeat to Brentford...

Making unwanted history

The Gunners faced title contenders Chelsea and Manchester City after their opening day disappointment.

Unsurprisingly, they failed to bounce back from their humiliation at Brentford.

The Blues ran out 2-0 in a one-sided London derby before the Gunners were mauled in Manchester; with a rampant City side smashing Arteta's sorry side 5-0.

That run of results meant that the Gunners made the worst start to a season in their history - they headed into the first international break of the season at the bottom of the Premier League having conceded nine goals and netting none.

It's probably a safe bet that a few people amongst the Arsenal hierarchy were left regretting their decision to welcome the Amazon cameras into the club back at the end of August...

Derby delight

Arteta was handed a brief reprieve after the international break following an upturn in form.

But the real turning point in Arsenal's season was the crunch north London derby clash with Tottenham at the end of September.

Ironically, Spurs had topped the table at the same point Arsenal had propped it up after winning their first three games under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Nuno saw his side embarrassed at the Emirates.

The Gunners blew Tottenham away in a pulsating first half to claim the bragging rights - and set Nuno on the path to an early dismissal.

Aubameyang row

Amazon executives probably couldn't believe their luck this week as the relationship between Arteta and Arsenal captain Aubameyang imploded in front of the world.

Arteta revealed that the Gabon striker had been excluded from the Gunners squad over a disciplinary breach ahead of their clash with Southampton earlier this month.

But since then, the situation has unravelled rapidly.

Arteta revealed that the 32-year-old had been permanently stripped of the club captaincy earlier this week, before it later emerged that Aubameyang had been banished from training with the Gunners' first team.

It was only a couple of years ago that Aubameyang had been considered as Arsenal's talisman.

But his powers on the pitch have seemingly waned since he penned a new contract at the club back in 2020 - and his days at the club now seem to be numbered.

Homegrown heroes

If there's been one constant positive for Arteta since he took charge in December 2019, it's been the form of Arsenal's young stars.

This year, the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have taken their game to another level.

Smith Rowe, in particular, has evolved into something of a talisman for Arsenal this year - with his tally of seven goals in all competitions matched only by Aubameyang before his goalscoring prowess evaporated.

The goals that Smith Rowe has plundered, along with Saka's versatility, have proven to be the cornerstone of the Gunners revival under Arteta.

Arsenal look set to head into Christmas occupying that coveted final Champions League spot - and they have their Hale End double-act to thank for that.

One of the most endearing part of Amazon's in-depth documentary with Arsenal's rivals, Tottenham, was the inside story of Japhet Tanganga as he rose to prominence in front of the cameras.

It's probably a safe bet that Saka and Smith-Rowe will have the spotlight shone on them in a similar fashion.