Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his side have the character to win the league

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Further evidence of Leicester's rise to prominence comes from Arsene Wenger, who is counting a 5-2 win at the King Power Stadium as proof that Arsenal can win the big games.

Wenger's team go up against Manchester City on Monday night, having begun to shake their reputation for wilting against the top teams since victory at the Etihad Stadium in January.

They have won at Manchester United and beaten Chelsea and Bayern Munich. Questions remain about the character in the team, but they are well placed to compete for their first title since 2004 and the race is wide open.

Manager Arsene Wenger watches over his title chasing side during a training session on Sunday afternoon

Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin goes for goal during Sunday's training session ahead of Manchester City 

(Left to right) Per Mertesacker and Aaron Ramsey are put through their paces during a training session 

Mesut Ozil has been in impressive form for Arsenal as they launched their Premier League title bid

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain unleashes a shot at goal during a training session at London Colney on Sunday

Arsenal attacker Theo Walcott (right) keeps his eye on the ball as he looks to control it in training

'We have to give our answer on the pitch week-in week-out and that will slowly die,' said Wenger. 'It was true for a while because we were a young team and a young team can be up and down.

'But I believe now we have shown, what we did at Olympiacos is not a team of no character. You need to be special to achieve that. 

'We won the FA Cup in the last two seasons and you need character to win the FA Cup. Everybody would love to do it every year.

'Basically, we are the only team who has beaten Leicester in a convincing way. Character is down to consistency. That's what I call character. 

'All of us can be exceptional for one day in our life but character is to have a target and maintain your focus on that target.

'That's what I call character and that's what we have to show in the league.'

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech walks onto the training pitch as Arsenal prepare for Manchester City 

(Left to right) Alex Iwobi and Calum Chambers battle for the ball ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash

(Left to right) Kieran Gibbs, Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel prepare to defend a cross as they are drilled

Beating City was a key step in Arsenal's rehabilitation as title contenders. It is not long since the exodus of players like Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Kolo Toure from North London to the Etihad.

'That was difficult at the start to take but we had to survive financially and we had to live with it,' said Wenger. 

'We are in a much stronger position today. I cannot say it will never happen again, because you never know, but we are in a position today where we do not have to give in.'

Chambers (left) plays a pass under pressure from German international midfielder Ozil on Sunday afternoon

Spanish defender Bellerin turns on his famous pace as the north London side train in St Albans, London

Leicester are the surprise league leaders at Christmas and the Arsenal boss does not rule them out, summoning the example of Nantes, when they won the French title in 1995.

Wenger said: 'It happened once in my life, when my friend Jean-Claude Suaudeau was coaching Nantes and he called me at the beginning of the season and asked me to give him on loan one of my players who was not 100 per cent regular.

'I said: 'I cannot give him to you on loan because I need him.' He said: 'You're unfair because I will go down, they have sold my players and I have nobody left.' 

(Left to right) Welsh international ace Aaron Ramsey does his best to hold off the youngster Chris Willock

(Left to right) Walcott, Koscielny and Nacho Monreal enjoy a chat as they take a mini breather from training

'He won the championship that year with (Patrice) Loko, with (Reynald) Pedros and was 32 games unbeaten.'

Wenger's Monaco finished sixth. 'That's the first time I'd seen it,' he added. 'Now we have a second, and it inspires everybody.

'Teams behind by five or six points all think with a good run they can be there. It is very open, but that's what is sensational. It is not only a league where you think it's only Real Madrid or Barcelona. I find it very good and very healthy.'