Holders Liverpool beat Arsenal 1-0 in English football’s Premier League, while fallen favourites Man City lose 2-1 at Brighton.
Published On 31 Aug 202531 Aug 2025
Dominik Szoboszlai curled home a brilliant long-range free kick to earn Liverpool a 1-0 win over Arsenal in an early-season meeting between two of the likely Premier League title contenders.
Manchester City was also expected to be challenging for the championship this season, but collapsing to a 2-1 loss at Brighton – for a second straight loss – was another sign that Pep Guardiola’s team has lost its aura of dominance.
Little separated Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield before Szoboszlai stepped up to an 83rd-minute free kick and whipped it into the top corner from about 30 yards.
“I thought I would take a risk,” Szoboszlai told Sky Sports. “I was confident, so I tried it and finally! It’s a long time when you practice all the time and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was taking the free kicks, but finally I could have my chance, and I did it.
“This [type of] shot I didn’t practice in the last few weeks as we were shooting from closer, but I had to take a risk and shoot it a little bit harder.”
Filling in at full back in an emergency, the Hungary captain – typically an attacking midfielder – did his best impression of now-departed right back Alexander-Arnold with a top-quality strike that was out of keeping with the rest of the game.
It’s now three straight wins to open the season for Liverpool, the defending champion.
For Arsenal, it was a first loss and first goal conceded – extending its winless record at Anfield dating back to 2012.
“Arsenal had an unbelievable season last season and three times in a row coming second,” Szoboszlai added.
“To be honest, it’s a compliment always to keep on going with City, with Chelsea with us – it is always really hard. They have an unbelievable team and an unbelievable coach.”
Liverpool’s Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, left, strikes the ball over the wall from a free kick to score the only goal [Darren Staples/AFP]
Man City lose again as former Liverpool midfielder Milner nets EPL record
City’s defeat at Brighton followed a 2-0 home loss last weekend to Tottenham, which is demonstrating the same vulnerabilities and brittleness it showed last season when surrendering the title to Liverpool after four consecutive years as champions.
“This is the reality: we are not at the level from a long time [ago],” said City midfielder Rodri, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, who was starting in the league for the first time since September last year following a serious knee injury.
Brajan Gruda surged through an open defence, rounded goalkeeper James Trafford and slotted into an empty net for the 89th-minute winner for Brighton, which trailed to Erling Haaland’s first-half strike – his 88th goal in 100 Premier League appearances since moving to England in 2022.
City conceded an equalizer in the 67th minute after Matheus Nunes raised his arm in the area to block a shot, with James Milner converting the penalty for Brighton to become – at age 39 years and 239 days – the second-oldest scorer in Premier League history. He is also the second youngest, having netted as a 16-year-old for Leeds.
With City noticeably fading, Brighton created a succession of chances before Gruda converted one to seal a repeat of his team’s come-from-behind 2-1 win over City last season.
City’s only points so far this season have come from a 4-0 opening-round win at Wolverhampton, after which pundits were saying Guardiola’s team was back. Now, it has fewer points than Manchester United.
West Ham eased the pressure on manager Graham Potter with a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest, secured by late goals by Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta — from the penalty spot — and Callum Wilson.
West Ham lost its first two games in the league, conceding eight goals in the process, and also was eliminated from the English League Cup in midweek.
Paqueta, the Brazil midfielder, celebrated his successful penalty kick by pretending to answer a call and throw away a phone before kissing the badge on his jersey – perhaps a nod to being linked over the past 24 hours with a move to Aston Villa.
Crystal Palace visits Villa in the final game on Sunday to wrap up the Premier League’s third round.
MICHAEL SALISBURY has been REMOVED as the VAR official for Liverpool vs Arsenal just hours before kick off.
Salisbury, 40, was on VAR duty for Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham yesterday, during which he controversially sent the referee over to the monitor to disallow Josh King’s opener.
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Referee Robert Jones was sent over to the monitorCredit: Reuters
2
Rodrigo Muniz was deemed to have fouled Trevoh Chalobah in the build-up to the goal
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Premier League champions Liverpool host last season’s runners-up Arsenal on Sunday (16:30 BST kick-off), with both teams looking to keep up their perfect starts to this campaign.
Could we be in for another thriller like the extraordinary 4-4 draw the sides shared at Anfield in 2009, when a certain Russia striker scored all of Arsenal’s goals?
That’s the match we’ve chosen for this week’s Saturday starting line-ups quiz.
How many players can you name? You have seven minutes. Good luck!
Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch celebrates scoring their first goal at Newcastle [Lee Smith/Reuters]
Who have Arsenal beaten in the Premier League so far this season?
Arsenal have yet to concede in the new campaign and last Saturday romped to a 5-0 home victory over Leeds United that was realistically decided when Bukayo Saka scored the Gunners’ second goal in first-half stoppage time.
The north Londoners opened the new season with a 1-0 win at Manchester United, although the goal came after a mistake by the home keeper in an underwhelming performance by the Gunners.
Do Liverpool still need Alexander Isak?
The Reds have had one bid for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak turned down, and manager Arne Slot has hinted a second offer could be on the cards.
The meeting between the two clubs at St James’ Park was a contentious environment fuelled by the transfer saga surrounding Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak.
But the good news for Slot is that so far, his side appears less reliant on the veteran Salah for their attacking production, thanks in no small part to their summer transfer business.
In particular, former Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Hugo Ekitike is off to a quick start at Anfield with two goals and an assist, including Liverpool’s second tally at Newcastle.
“I think he has already made a big impact in the attacking part of our game,” Slot said Friday. “Not only scoring goals but also being part of build-up situations where he was someone that started the attack or was part of us starting an attack. I’m talking about a difference a bit more than last season, although when [Luis Diaz] played there he was also a lot of times part of our build-up.”
How are Arsenal shaping up for another Premier League title bid?
Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard are already dealing with injuries, with the former two expected to miss at least several weeks.
That will put the focus on recent signings like Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, who were acquired in part to help Arsenal combat exactly these kinds of situations.
Gyokeres scored his first two Premier League goals – including one from the penalty spot – against Leeds. Eze has yet to debut for the Gunners after completing his transfer from Crystal Palace for a reported fee just north of $80m this week.
“It’s the start of the season and we lost three of our main players, but that’s the reality,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “A very unfortunate situation, three very different situations. But that’s why we keep insisting, like everybody else, you need a big squad to be able to cope and sustain the level.”
Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring their fifth goal against Leeds United [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]
What happened last season between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield?
The Gunners have drawn their last three trips to Anfield, but lost the last six prior to that.
It will certainly be all hands to the pump once again for Arsenal, having not won at Anfield in the Premier League since 2012.
“The favourite is always the one that won in the previous year. Someone has to come and take that crown away from them, and that’s what we, the rest, are going to try to do,” Arteta said of Liverpool’s title win.
“Very important game. You want to continue building the momentum we are in right now. Going to those grounds, against this kind of opposition, is what you want. Coming from those big games winning in a really convincing way is the objective.”
One player who could help in that regard is Eze.
“When you are next to him, you are comfortable. He’s got a big smile. He picks teams apart,” Arteta said.
“He asks you the right questions and then just let him flow with the ball and the ability he has to pick passes, to drive past people effortlessly and just to understand the timing of things, it’s very impressive.”
Head-to-head
This is the 245th meeting between the clubs.
Liverpool have won 94 of the meetings, with Arsenal claiming victory in 81 of the encounters.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool have no new injury concerns for the match.
Conor Bradley substitute appearance against Newcastle was his first of the season, while Alexis Mac Allister is available after missing the trip to St James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon was sent off for a tackle on Virgil van Dijk in that match, but the Reds captain has been passed clear to play against Arsenal.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz will be sidelined for many weeks after picking up injuries, while skipper Martin Odegaard is a doubt for the Premier League clash, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.
Saka limped off during Arsenal’s 5-0 home win over Leeds United, and Arteta said he injured his hamstring. However, he will not require surgery, which kept him out for months last season.
“Bukayo is doing better but he is out for a few weeks, unfortunately. No surgery, it’s not as bad as the previous one,” Arteta told reporters.
“Obviously, it’s very unfortunate to pick it up, but it’s on the other side … Let’s see how he evolves in the next few days and weeks, repeat the scan and see where he’s at.”
Havertz injured his knee in their season opener at Manchester United and Arsenal confirmed the German underwent a minor surgical procedure.
“I think it will be weeks, but I don’t know how many months. Very unfortunate, very sad for him,” Arteta said of Havertz, who also underwent surgery on a hamstring injury earlier this year.
“He did tremendously well to recover from the previous one; he’d never had an injury before, and suddenly this happens.
“But this is our profession… we need to live with that. We lost another big player for many, many weeks, but it [surgery] was the right thing to do.”
Odegaard was also substituted early in the win over Leeds with a shoulder problem, and Arteta said he is unsure if his skipper will play a part.
“We don’t know yet. He hasn’t trained yet, and if he does, it will be tomorrow,” he said.
New recruit Christian Norgaard and Ben White are also being monitored.
Kai Havertz has undergone surgery on his kneeCredit: Getty
SunSport understands that Havertz has shared his time between London Colney and his native Germany, being assessed by doctors to determine the severity of the issue.
And the Gunners have since decided to take precautionary measures with Havertz going under the knife for the second time in six months.
A club statement read: “Further to sustaining a knee injury after our recent game against Manchester United on 17 August, subsequent assessments and specialist reviews with Kai confirmed that surgery would be required.
“Today, Kai underwent a successful minor surgical procedure.
“He will shortly begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with everyone fully focused on supporting Kai to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”
Havertz had a hamstring operation back in February that saw him only return for the final two games of last term, but this minor procedure is not expected to keep him out for a similar period.
It now leaves boss Mikel Arteta relying on summer signing Viktor Gyokeres to lead the line without any back-up for at least the next few weeks.
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Mikel Arteta now has just one available strikerCredit: Getty
Gabriel Jesus – Arsenal’s third-choice No.9 – is also still on the recovery table, expected to return towards the end of 2025 after an ACL reconstruction in January.
However, Arsenal are confident that they have the squad to deal with the absence, hijacking Tottenham’s £68m deal for Eberechi Eze last week 24 hours after Havertz’s injury news.
Arteta gives update on Saka and Odegaard after Arsenal stars suffer injuries
Arteta does have options – playing midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard down the middle for large parts of last season.
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz will have surgery on a knee injury, but is not expected to be out for a significant amount of time.
The 26-year-old featured in the opening win over Manchester United from the substitutes’ bench, but missed the 5-0 victory over Leeds with the problem.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said before the Leeds match that “we need more time” before determining what course of action Havertz’s injury required.
The hope is that the Germany international will be out for weeks rather than months.
That will give Arteta some relief as he is already without winger Bukayo Saka, midfielders Martin Odegaard and Christian Norgaard, defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus through injury.
Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres is the club’s only fit striker and scored his first two Premier League goals against Leeds.
Havertz’s injury accelerated Arsenal’s move for England attacker Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace and the £60m signing has started training with the Gunners.
Arsenal face champions Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield with both sides having won their opening two league matches of the season.
Carabao Cup holders Newcastle will start the defence of their crown at home to League One Bradford in the third round.
League Two Grimsby Town will travel to Championship Sheffield Wednesday after shocking Manchester United in a spectacular penalty shootout win at Blundell Park.
Manchester City will take on League One Huddersfield Town at the Accu Stadium while Arsenal will travel to Port Vale.
Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool, who were beaten in last season’s final, will host Championship Southampton, while Chelsea have been handed a trip to Lincoln City.
Brentford will host Aston Villa and Wolves will welcome Everton in the two all-Premier League ties.
The eight teams in the Champions League and Europa League – Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa – were seeded to avoid scheduling clashes.
Crystal Palace were not included in the seeding because the Conference League league phase does not get under way until October.
The third round fixtures will take place across two weeks, beginning on 15 and 22 September with Champions League and Europa League fixtures also scheduled during this period.
Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer analyses the performance of Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored twice in the Gunners’ 5-0 win over Leeds United.
BUKAYO SAKA and Martin Odegaard’s are doubts for Liverpool after hobbling off against Leeds.
Both players were struck down with injuries either side of half-time.
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Bukayo Saka appeared to pick up a hamstring injury
Captain Odegaard fell awkwardly under a challenge and appeared to hurt his shoulder.
He initially continued but was hauled off after a few minutes and replaced by Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal were 1-0 ahead at the time and did not take long to add another, Saka firing past the keeper shortly after Odegaard went off.
But the Gunners talisman also picked up an injury, lasting just eight minutes into the second half.
Saka appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and he received treatment before hobbling off.
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The atmosphere had completely gone in what was an uninspiring 46 minutes.
But they win the ball back high up and Timber feeds a ball down the outside for Saka, inside the box on his right foot.
He has Gyokeres waiting for a cut back but Saka makes the right choice in ignoring that and firing a right-footed shot over the shoulder of Perri who probably should do better and into the top corner!
That’ll likely be game over now here and a much-needed second for Arsenal.
GOAL!! ARSENAL 2-0 Leeds
BUKAYO SAKA makes it two in first half injury time!
England captain Leah Williamson is set to miss the start of the Women’s Super League season with a knee injury she suffered in the Euro 2025 final.
The 28-year-old Arsenal centre-back missed the Gunners’ pre-season training camp in Germany this month after reporting back to the club with swelling in her right knee.
She has now had a small clean-up operation, which was a success, and has started her rehabilitation, but she is be expected to be out for several weeks.
Arsenal, who won the Champion League last season, begin their WSL campaign against London City Lionesses on 6 September.
Williamson suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the same knee during a WSL game against Manchester United in April 2023, although her latest injury is not directly linked to that one.
After guiding England to their first European Championship title in 2022, she was then forced to miss the World Cup a year later because of the ACL setback. Williamson spent nearly 10 months on the sidelines before returning to Arsenal and the Lionesses in early 2024.
She played the full 90 minutes plus extra time of the Euros final last month, which ended 1-1, as England beat world champions Spain 3-1 on penalties.
England team-mate Lauren James is also set to miss the start of the season for Chelsea with an ankle injuru sustained while winning the Euros.
Mohamed Salah has anointed Arsenal the “FAVOURITES” to win the Premier League this season.
Speaking to PFA awards presenter Cecil Thomas, who is a Gunners fan, he said: “I think you are the favourite now because you players who have been together for five years.
“I can’t say I’ll wish you luck – hopefully we do it again.”
Arteta reflects on Gyokeres debut
Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Viktor Gyokeres following his Premier League debut against Manchester United.
He said of the Swede: “He did a lot of things very good. You can tell, especially in our high pressing, the rhythm that we demand, especially in the first half, we’re giving a bit too much time.
“It’s something that we have to work on, especially there.
“And then in the finalising situation, he didn’t have that many chances to do that because, as I said, on the previous action before we had to play that last ball that the line was standing still with 40 metres behind, we managed to put the ball through to exploit his quality.
“But overall, coming away to Manchester United, winning your first game with Arsenal, it’s a good start.
Birmingham City are interested in the signature of Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain, according to reports from Sky Sports.
The 32-year-old plays his football for Turkish giants Besiktas, who are reportedly willing to allow the former England international to move on a free transfer.
Oxlade-Chamberlain made almost 200 appearances for the Gunners in his six-year spell with the club.
He came through the Southampton academy and also played for Liverpool before moving abroad.
Arsenal’s unlikely star
Arsenal cruised to a 1-0 victory over Man Utd in their opening game of the4 season, but the difference maker proved to be a surprising name.
All eyes were on new forward signing Viktor Gyokeres to open his competitive tally with the club
But it was defender Riccardo Calafiori who would nod in at the back post after Utd keeper Altay Bayindir fluffed his lines attempting to punch a corner away.
Mikel Arteta is determined to deploy Calafiori higher up the pitch than his size and position might usually dictate, and he could be one to watch this season for his attacking contirbutions.
Broadcast change causes Arsenal controversy
Arsenal found themselves at the mercy of a new broadcast rule introduced for the upcoming Premier League season during their season opener against Man Utd.
Captain Martin Odegaard was caught in the Old Trafford tunnel at half-time and interviewed on camera regarding the game’s events so far.
The out of breath Norwegian said: “It has been a bit too hectic at times.
“So much space is too open, we need to control it a bit better.
“When we get the ball, pick the right moments and be a bit more accurate when we counter.”
The Gunners went on to win the game 1-0 and get their title challenge off to a flyer.
The new interview type was introduced for the upcoming campaign to mixed reception from fans and former pros.
But not everyone enjoys the new insight, with fans questioning the quality of interview that broadcasters will get out of players in such high pressure situations.
Read more here:
Xabi Alonso speaks out on Rodrygo
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed his position on Arsenal target Rodrygo.
It was uncertain where the Brazilian would fall into the newly appointed boss’ plans, but the Spaniard appears to have found a place for him.
He said: “There are many rumors in the summer, but I’ve seen him well and I count on everyone.
“I count on Rodrygo for sure, 100 per cent.”
Mikel Arteta defends Gyokeres debut despite fans’ uncertainty
The Gunners boss said: “He did a lot of things very good. You can tell, especially in our high pressing, the rhythm that we demand, especially in the first half, we’re giving a bit too much time.
“It’s something that we have to work on, especially there.
“And then in the finalising situation, he didn’t have that many chances to do that because, as I said, on the previous action before we had to play that last ball that the line was standing still with 40 metres behind, we managed to put the ball through to exploit his quality.
“But overall, coming away to Manchester United, winning your first game with Arsenal, it’s a good start.”
Eze battle nears its conclusion
Arsenal are set to lose out on priority target Eberechi Eze, if reports from Fabrizio Romano are to be believed.
North London rivals are offering up to a £60million package including add-ons for the England international.
The 27-year-old has been hugely influential in attack for Crystal Palace since arriving in 2020.
He appeared to have opened the scoring with a free-kick in the Eagles’ season opener against Chelsea, before it was ruled out due to Marc Guehi’s proximity to the wall.
If access is denied then clubs will have to accommodate another request for access later in the season.
The process of adding the new enhancements has been thoroughly mapped out by the league, outlining the procedure that clubs and broadcasters will have to take.
Roy Keane clashes with Micah Richards on Sky Sports but fans distracted by Daniel Sturridge
Broadcasters must request enhanced access at least five days before the match they want it for, identifying what kind of access they would prefer.
United’s expensively-assembled new forward line draw a blank as Arsenal began title campaign with a tight win at Old Trafford.
Arsenal kept Manchester United’s expensively assembled forward line at bay and scored again from a set piece to win 1-0 at Old Trafford in the marquee match in the opening round of English football’s Premier League.
Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori nodded in from close range in the 13th minute on Sunday after United back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayındır flapped at the ball from a corner whipped in by Declan Rice.
After finishing second for the past three seasons, the pressure is on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to deliver the club’s first league title since 2003-04.
The Spaniard was left to depend on his reliable defence and goalkeeper David Raya to secure a huge three points as the visitors never fully got going as an attacking force.
United, meanwhile, fell to a loss that is all too familiar under Ruben Amorim following a woeful 15th-place finish last season by the struggling giants of English football.
United spent around 200 million pounds ($270m) on revamping their attack in the preseason, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha starting the match and Benjamin Sesko coming off the bench in the second half.
Cunha and Mbeumo unsettled Arsenal’s normally unflappable centre-back pairing of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba early on.
However, United’s good work was undone by a glaring error from Bayindir, who was deputising for Andre Onana.
Patrick Dorgu came closest to a United reply before half-time with a powerful effort from distance that came back off the post.
Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu reacts after hitting the woodwork [Peter Powell/Reuters]
Mbeumo and Cunha saw tame efforts easily saved by Raya, while the Spaniard did brilliantly to divert another Cunha shot across the face of goal.
Arsenal had held interest in Sesko for well over a year before instead pursuing a move for Viktor Gyokeres as the solution to their need for a number nine. The Swede had a quiet Premier League debut and was replaced before the hour mark by Kai Havertz.
Sesko made his entrance moments later to a hero’s welcome after rejecting the advances of Newcastle for the lure of the 20-time English champions.
United continued to enjoy the better of the play without finding the finish as Mbeumo saw a powerful header expertly clawed out by Raya.
But Arsenal held firm to keep pace with title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, who also won on the opening weekend of the campaign.
Calafiori told Sky Sports after the match that his side have room to improve, despite the win.
“Like always, we were working a lot on our set pieces, and that is what we showed today. We have to improve if possible and keep going,” he said.
“If we want to compete at the high level, we have to be good in every position. My teammates are ready to play, and it is not easy to play every game. The confidence we have inside is going to bring up the level. Hopefully, I play a lot but if not there is another teammate that can play.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes said that while his team played well, they need to be more clinical in front of goal.
“We created lots of chances and didn’t score, so we have to do better next time. We controlled the game well, we were good on the ball,” he told Sky Sports.
“[Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo] created a lot [of opportunities and] they were in the right positions. We know they are dangerous, and they are a threat. We are very aware of what they can give to the team. It was a good first impression for them, but I’m pretty sure they will do much better.”
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Sunday, Chelsea failed to score in their opening league game, as they were held 0-0 by Crystal Palace in the Blues’ first competitive match as the Club World Cup champions.
A month after stunning Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, Chelsea toiled at Stamford Bridge after a short preseason because of the team’s exertions in the United States.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest hit the ground running with a 3-1 win over Brentford, with striker Chris Wood – the team’s top scorer last season, with 20 goals – netting twice in the first half, on either side of a goal by Dan Ndoye on his debut.
All matches on Sunday featured a period of silence before kickoff as a tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, the brothers who were killed in a car crash in Spain last month. Jota was a player for Liverpool at the time.
United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir got a hand to the ball but he could only help it goalwards, and Riccardo Calafiori was on hand to add a final touch on the line.
Viktor Gyokeres also made his Arsenal debut following his £60million arrival.
Hojlund, who joined for £72m two years ago, was United’s main striker last season and scored 10 goals in 52 games.
His debut campaign brought 16 goals after his move from Italian side Atalanta.
The move to drop Hojlund has been backed by United’s leadership.
Amorim has spent £200m on a completely revamped forward line, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha set to fill the two number 10 slots Amorim prefers.
In addition to Mount, England international Kobbie Mainoo could also play as a false nine – while Bruno Fernandes did the job successfully in the 2024 FA Cup final.
On United’s pre-season tour of the United States, Cunha filled the number nine role – although he also tended to drop deeper.
Seventeen-year-old Chido Obi featured for the first team at the end of last season, although at his stage of his development it is thought unlikely he would be regarded as a regular stater, with his involvement is more likely as a substitute.
Who: Manchester United vs Arsenal What: English Premier League Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom When: Sunday, August 16 at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 4:30pm (15:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to keep digging for gold.
The Gunners have finished as Premier League runners-up for the last three seasons, sparking criticism of their failure to get over the line in the title race.
Arsenal blew significant leads when Manchester City pipped them to the trophy in 2023 and 2024, before Liverpool left the injury-plagued north Londoners trailing in their wake last season.
Arsenal’s title frustrations are mounting, with fans questioning whether Arteta is the right man to end their drought after winning only the 2020 FA Cup since he took charge in December 2019.
But the Gunners showed their potential last season, with a run to the Champions League semifinals that ended with a narrow defeat against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
And, buoyed by a host of new signings worth more than 180 million pounds ($244 million) in total, Arteta is convinced they can finally get their hands on the Premier League silverware this season.
“You keep digging, digging, digging, and you have to be digging because one day the gold is going to be there,” he told reporters on Friday.
“For three seasons, we’ve had more points than [nearly] any other team in this league, which is incredible.
“You have the consistency, but now we have to do it in a season, to end with more points than any other team.
“That’s the objective. When I’ve been taught, when I’ve been educated, that’s it.”
Hampered by injuries to Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at various stages last season, Arsenal lacked a cutting edge and were held to 14 draws compared with Liverpool’s nine.
That was a crucial edge as Arsenal finished 10 points behind the champions.
Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres heads at goal during a preseason friendly against Athletic Bilbao [Matthew Childs/Reuters]
After bemoaning Arsenal’s failure to sign Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins as Liverpool pulled away during the January window, the Spaniard is a far more upbeat figure on the eve of the new season.
“I think we have great versatility, very different qualities in relation to the opposition, so we are very happy with that,” he said.
Arteta said that “too many” teams have a legitimate shot at winning the Premier League for his liking, some he even suspects will “surprise everybody”.
Whether that was a hint that United, who suffered their worst season since 1973-74 last term, could emerge as contenders after their summer spending spree remains to be seen.
Arsenal were linked with a move for United’s new striker Benjamin Sesko before deciding to bet on Gyokeres for a fee that could rise to 66 million pounds ($89.5m).
The Swede netted 97 times in 102 games in two years at Sporting, much of which came under United’s current manager, Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo moved from Brentford in the summer transfer window [Andrew Boyers/Reuters]
How is the season shaping up for Man Utd?
Instead of being reunited with Gyokeres, Amorim overhauled his attack with the signings of Leipzig’s Sesko, Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha at a combined cost of more than 200 million pounds ($271m).
United, who have not won the title since 2013, had to spend big to erase the stench of their putrid campaign.
Amorim’s team finished a dismal 15th in the top-flight, and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League with a toothless 1-0 defeat against fellow underachievers Tottenham in the Europa League final.
The pressure is on Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, to deliver major improvements in his second season.
Amorim knows Sesko will be key to that target and believes the 22-year-old Slovenian is ready to rise to the challenge.
“I don’t need to tell Ben, ‘Ben, this is Manchester United, a lot of pressure. Every game is like do or die’,” Amorim said.
“He is always thinking about football. He’s really obsessed about that.”
Head-to-head
This is the 244th meeting between the clubs, with United winning 99 of those games and Arsenal winning 89.
The last two meetings ended in 1-1 draws, although one of those was in the FA Cup with United advancing on penalties.
The Red Devils have not beaten the Gunners since December 2022, a 3-1 home win lead by a Marcus Rashford double.
The Gunners have won four of the six following meetings.
Manchester United team news
Defenders Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (hamstring) are both injury absentees for United.
Joshua Zirkzee and Andre Onana have, however, both recovered from knocks and are available for selection.
Arsenal team news
Arteta has said that the new signings, Gyokeres and Zubimendi, are both “fit to play”.
Leandro Trossard has had a groin problem but is expected to recover in time for selection. Gabriel Jesus remains a long-term absentee with an ACL injury, but otherwise, Arteta has a full squad to choose from.
