All eyes are on the Emirates as Arsenal prepare to kick off their 2024/25 campaign against Wolves on Saturday.
The summer break is almost over in North London, as Arsenal welcome Premier League football back to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.
Wolves will pay a visit on the opening day, giving Mikel Arteta the chance to get off to a strong start ahead of a long and highly anticipated season.
There was a lot to take from Gary O’Neil’s first year in charge of the Midlands club, with it poised to be an entertaining opener between the two.
Chris Sutton calls for Arsenal to make a fast start to the season against Wolves
With just one day remaining until Arsenal’s season begins, the predictions are flooding in with reference to both the opening day and the Premier League title.
Ahead of Wolves’ visit to North London, Chris Sutton took to his BBC column to share his thoughts on the clash between the two sides.
The pundit stressed the importance of a fast start to the season for Arsenal, firing a warning to Arteta over the need to come flying out of the blocks against Wolves.
“Mikel Arteta’s side can not do much more than last season, when they took the title race to the final day, but they really need to get off to a flyer. I think they will.”
With the need for an opening day win in mind, Sutton predicted the Gunners to secure a 2-0 win over Wolves, who he suggests will have a “tough” afternoon in the capital.
An opening day win is crucial for Arsenal
While there will still be 37 fixtures to play in the Premier League after the duel against Wolves, Sutton’s reminder of the importance of a fast start rings true.
Last season, Arteta saw his side do very little wrong in a campaign that saw just two points separate the Gunners from their first league title since 2003/04.
From holding the best defensive record in the league to applying the pressure to Manchester City throughout, missing out on the title came down to the smallest of margins, which must be addressed from the first minute.
A win against Wolves is imperative if this is to be Arsenal’s year, with the margin for error seemingly shrinking as the Gunners seek Premier League glory.
The opportunity is there for Arsenal to send out a statement to their rivals on the opening day, with the focus being on ending the afternoon with three points.
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