Arsenal return to the Premier League as champions with manager Mikel Arteta embracing the pressure that comes with having a target on their backs. After ending a 22 year wait for the league title last season, the Gunners open their defence against newly promoted Coventry City on Friday, according to The Guardian and Reuters.
Arteta has made it clear that Arsenal would rather be the team being hunted than the one doing the chasing. The challenge now is turning last season’s breakthrough into sustained dominance, with the club targeting back to back league titles for the first time since the 1930s.
Arsenal have strengthened during the summer, most notably with the £75 million signing of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United, while Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier have also joined. The club is additionally pursuing Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa as Arteta seeks greater squad depth.
The Gunners enter a Premier League landscape undergoing major change, with nine new managers across the division and several established rivals rebuilding. Manchester City have moved on from Pep Guardiola, Liverpool are adapting after Mohamed Salah’s departure and Chelsea have begun a new era under Xabi Alonso. Arsenal’s continuity could therefore prove a major advantage as they attempt to establish themselves as English football’s new dominant force.
