Al Hilal are in commanding form at the top of the Saudi Pro League, and Saturday's 6-0 demolition of Al-Taawoun in Buraydah underlined just how dangerous Simone Inzaghi's side can be when firing on all cylinders. Gabriel Martinelli helped himself to a hat-trick, Ollie Watkins added two goals, and Sultan Al-Dawsari completed the rout, sending a statement to every rival in the division. The win moved Al Hilal to 18 points from seven games, one clear of Al Ittihad in second, and confirmed their status as the team to beat this season.

The result carries extra weight given the turbulence surrounding the club off the pitch. Nawaf Al-Temyat, the former Saudi international, joined the board following Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal's acquisition of a 70 percent stake in the club, but his arrival quickly drew scrutiny, with accusations that he had blocked Inzaghi's dismissal during a difficult run. Those claims were denied, yet they reflect the pressure that has been building around the Italian coach despite the league position.

Inzaghi has also moved to address a weakness in set-piece defending this season, bringing in a specialist coach to work on the issue, following the example of Arsenal. With the AFC Champions League Elite resuming on Tuesday against Al-Gharafa, the squad's depth and consistency will be tested across two fronts. For now, confidence is high and the momentum is firmly with Al Hilal.