When Arsenal and Mikel Arteta play Wolves at Emirates Stadium on Saturday (10 am ET) to begin the 2024–25 season, they are ready to go again in an attempt to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004.
The Gunners, who are hopeful that things would be different this year, watched with sadness as the previous two seasons concluded with them pushing four-time reigning champions Manchester City to the very last days of play. There are several reasons to think that this may be Arsenal's year, including their own advancements as a still-developing team and a presumed transitional time starting at the opposite end of the age spectrum at Man City.
At least four important Arsenal players, who only joined their colleagues in training one week ago and played in the last two preseason games, may face some early-season sharpness and health issues. David Raya, William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka skipped the first several weeks of training in order to recuperate after their summertime participation in EURO 2024. This season, Arteta will be forced to deploy a larger lineup of players from his first team, and he shouldn't wait to do so.
Arsenal’s Premier League season kicks off at the Emirates Stadium, where they will face Wolves in a match that will test Mikel Arteta’s squad and their determination. The Gunners are eager to finally secure the title this season after narrowly missing out to Manchester City by just two points last time.
Arsenal seems ready for the new campaign, with their pre-season performances showing potential. Their US tour had mixed results, ending with a draw, a win, and a loss, but they returned to form in their final two friendlies at the Emirates against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
In the transfer market, Arsenal has been active, notably strengthening their already strong defense with the acquisition of Riccardo Calafiori. Last season, the Gunners had the best defensive record in the Premier League, and Arteta will be counting on his defense to deliver similarly solid performances to fuel their title ambitions. However, before dreaming of the championship, Arsenal must first secure a win against Wolves in their opening match.
On the other side, Gary O’Neil is pleased with Wolves’ pre-season outings, highlighted by an impressive 3-0 victory over RB Leipzig. Despite a few losses, O’Neil views these as valuable preparation for the upcoming season.
Wolves have mixed feelings heading into the season opener, hoping to avoid the poor starts they’ve experienced in recent years. They have lost their first match of the season in each of the last three campaigns and are determined to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, which would set an unwanted club record.
As for Arsenal, they approach their first game with minimal injury concerns. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are the only confirmed absentees. Tierney seems to be out of Arteta’s current plans, while Tomiyasu is still recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of the entire pre-season.
Wolves will be even more shorthanded this weekend after selling their two best players. Matheus Cunha is already out and Daniel Podence, another attacker, is expected to follow. Additionally, starting right back Nelson Semedo is suspended following his red card against Liverpool on the last day of the previous season.
Saka's significance to Arsenal supporters was demonstrated by the raucous welcome the England Euro 2024 finalist got when returning to professional football against Bayer Leverkusen. Under Arteta, the winger has been great for the past three or four years, and he is the man who everyone looks up to as their superstar.
Saka has developed a reputation for getting the team going early in games, and this season may be no different. The winger will be eager to carry on his momentum after recording his highest goal total in a Premier League season the last time around and assist Arsenal in winning the league. He will get off to a great start to the season with a strong showing against a squad like the Wolves.
Gary O’Neil is already facing challenges within his squad, as several key players may be unavailable for the season opener. Nelson Semedo's red card in the final game of the previous season means the Portuguese international will be sidelined for the first three matches this season.
There are also fitness concerns for Mario Lemina, Daniel Podence, Jorgen Strand Larsen, and Matheus Cunha, with Cunha having missed the last three pre-season matches. Despite this, O’Neil is hopeful that all three will be fit for selection, as recent training photos show the Brazilian participating.
Podence's availability remains uncertain, and it's unclear if the Belgian is even part of the manager’s first-team plans after spending a year on loan at Olympiacos. Meanwhile, Leon Chiwome is definitely ruled out for the game at the Emirates, and young winger Enso Gonzalez suffered an ACL rupture while playing for Paraguay in the Olympics.
