Arsenal won their opening Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, kicking off 2024/25 with a 2-0 victory.
The big question is whether the Gunners can kick on from two second-place finishes and win the title this time around. Speaking on Match of the Day, Alan Shearer insisted he thinks they can.
“The best defence in the league last season, they’ve gone out and signed a defender. We expect [Mikel] Merino to come in next week,” Shearer said.
“89 points last season, took it all the way to the final day. I think they can do it. Yeah, absolutely (they can win the league). I think they can do it. Yes, definitely.”
Shearer also had specific praise for Bukayo Saka, saying: “I’ve got to say how great Saka was today. One goal, one assist, just absolutely superb he was.”
Saka only recently joined up with Arsenal for pre-season, having featured heavily for England at Euro 2024.
It was a race against time to get the winger back involved before the opening day of the new season, but Mikel Arteta will be delighted the 22-year-old won that race. With a goal and an assist, Saka was pivotal to the three points.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, defending champions Manchester City also opened the league season with a 2-0 win, so they’re in an equivalent position to the Gunners after the opening day.
It doesn’t look like Pep Guardiola’s side are just going to fade away, so Arsenal will have to keep raising their level to win the league this time around.
