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After two seasons of being runners-up in the Premier League, Arsenal are hoping to go one better this time around.
And their quest to win their first top-flight title since the 2003-04 season began in encouraging fashion with a comfortable 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
The Gunners have been tipped by 11 of the 30 BBC TV and radio pundits to become champions, while former England striker Alan Shearer also believes Mikel Arteta’s side will triumph – even though he thinks they could do with another centre-forward to overcome a Manchester City side chasing a fifth consecutive Premier League crown.
Arsenal manager Arteta remains optimistic as he said: “This is a new story, this season.
“A beautiful one hopefully that we have to write from the beginning. This is the first chapter of that. Let’s write some beautiful ones.”
‘Unbelievable’ Saka and Havertz steal show
It took Kai Havertz until the 25th November last year to score a goal in open play for Arsenal – his first season at the club.
This term, it took him just 25 minutes to get up and running.
And with there being no arrival of a new centre-forward in the current transfer window, Havertz’s relationship with Bukayo Saka – Arsenal’s top scorer in the previous campaign – could provide plenty of encouragement if it continues to flourish.
The England winger, who was the Gunners’ main inspiration against Wolves, laid on the opener with a superb ball in from the right.
Germany international Havertz then repaid the favour after the break with a quick pass, albeit Saka still had plenty to do when he cut inside visiting left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri.
“Bukayo had an unbelievable action to make the score 2-0,” said Arteta.
“With good players it’s like that. With [Lionel] Messi, I know he’s going to come in and do that, but you can’t stop him.”
Asked about his 22-year-old team-mate, Havertz added: “Saka is unbelievable. There are not a lot of players like him on the planet and he is still so young.
“He can get better. It is very rare to see a young player like this perform every week at the highest level.”
‘They picked up where they left off last season’
Arsenal missed out on the title by two points in May despite winning 16 of their final 18 games.
However, while players are still getting up to speed after returning to training at different times in pre-season they were still able to get the job done with the minimum of fuss against Wolves.
“Arsenal were comfortable,” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“They dominated the game in the first half, broke the press really well and created chances from the back. They looked like they picked up where they left off at the end of last season.”
Arteta’s side did not just enjoy more possession and create more scoring opportunities, they also covered eight kilometres more than their opponents on Saturday.
“What I’ve seen is the willingness. Whether we’re going do it or not, we’ll have to show it every day in how we play and the results that we take away,” the Spaniard added.
‘We believe in ourselves and know our quality’
Winger Gabriel Martinelli also stressed Arsenal are determined to kick on after becoming the team closest to ending City’s top-flight domination in recent years.
“This is the most difficult league in the world and we know how hard it is to play against City,” said the Brazil forward, 23.
“We believe in ourselves and we know our quality and will go for it.”
So can Arsenal do it? Plenty of pundits believe the north London side will be experienced enough now to prise the trophy away from City and hold off other challengers.
“Arsenal took the title race right until the last game of the season, so they weren’t that far away,” added Shearer, who helped Blackburn become the English champions in 1994-95.
“And they are not that far away. Four titles in a row for Man City is an amazing achievement. To go again, to have that motivation…they have a genius in charge in Pep, for him to have that motivation to go again. I think I fancy Arsenal for the title.”
Dion Dublin, who was part of the Manchester United squad that claimed the inaugural Premier League crown in 1993, added: “I think Arsenal get even closer. I am thinking Arsenal [will challenge Man City].
“It is not if, it’s when – and I think Arsenal are probably the closest.”
