Arsenal will get their Premier League campaign underway against Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsenal need a strong start in the Premier League. If Mikel Arteta’s side are to win the Premier League title this summer then they need to hit the ground running and build up a head of steam.
If the Gunners falter early on then they may never recover, such is standard now being set at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal have some difficult early fixtures, including encounters with Manchester City and their bitter North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur within their first five outings.
As far as Wolves are concerned, though, the Gunners will be considered heavy favourites for this clash. Arteta will want his side to make a statement against the Midlands outfit, too. Having recently dominated against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon in pre-season friendlies, Arsenal ought to be full of confidence.
Arteta ought to have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to his team selection, too. Riccardo Calafiori may well be in line to receive his competitive debut, whilst Jurrien Timber was spotted back in training having sat out the encounter with Lyon with a minor injury.
Ian Wright backs Arsenal to beat Wolves in style
Iconic former Arsenal striker Ian Wright is certainly expecting big things from the Gunners this weekend.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he said: “3-1… I think Arsenal can score three,” when asked to predict the outcome of this match.
Arsenal have the attacking quality to put Wolves to the sword, especially if Gabriel Jesus can build on his pre-season progress.
However, given Arsenal boasted the best defensive record in the top flight last time around, Arteta will be disappointed if his side don’t keep a clean sheet against Wolves. David Raya recently hailed William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, and that trio will be crucial in the effort towards keeping things solid at the back.
Arsenal need attackers to step up
There is pressure on Jesus and Kai Havertz to deliver in front of goal this season, and Arteta also needs more from Gabriel Martinelli this time around.
The Brazilian endured a difficult campaign by his own standards last season and still showed signs of being short of his best in pre-season. Arsenal fans are losing faith in Martinelli, but Arteta will still believe that he can get back to his best.
If he can, then the winger could have an enormous impact for the Gunners this season.
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