Arsenal demonstrates high readiness to defend the Premier League title after defeating Manchester City 3-0 in the English Community Cup. This match took place after Arsenal beat Manchester City, who were the closest title contenders last season.
Before the start of the Premier League season, the teams of Arsenal and Manchester City found themselves in unusual circumstances, but it is clear which of the contending teams feels more confident in its new status.
For the first time since the 2004-05 season, Arsenal will begin the campaign as the English champion, hosting promoted Coventry in the first match of the season on Friday.
In contrast to the buoyant mood at the Emirates Stadium, City began the season in a state of anxiety following the departure of Pep Guardiola, who ended his impressive ten-year reign at the end of last season.
After many years in City's shadow, Mikel Arteta's team provoked a serious shift in the balance of power in the Premier League last season by winning its first top-flight title in 22 years.
Arsenal finished seven points ahead of trailing City and confidently begins its attempt to win the English title consecutively for the first time since the 1930s.
Arteta will not allow the players to relax; the painful defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in May strengthened Arsenal's desire to win even more trophies.
Based on Arsenal's convincing 3-0 victory over City in the Community Cup on Sunday, the Gunners have already increased the gap between the clubs compared to last season.
Arteta's team has been strengthened by Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães and Khristos Tsolis, both of whom impressed during the thrashing of City.
Arteta stated: 'The desire arises because I want to experience this moment again.' He added: 'We know the difficulty of the task. We understand that it will require something special, and we are ready for it.'
Guardiola failed to win the title in his last two years at the Etihad Stadium after winning the trophy six times in seven seasons before 2024.
Former Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was hired to replace Guardiola, but the Italian specialist faces the almost impossible task of repeating his predecessor's astonishing success—20 trophies in an unforgettable decade of management.
Maresca won the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup with Chelsea, but worked at Stamford Bridge for less than two years before his sudden departure, caused by strained relations with the club's management and fan disappointment over dull tactics.
The attempt to catch up to Arsenal while simultaneously completing the reconstruction started by Guardiola, who began replacing his aging stars with young players, presents a difficult prospect for Maresca.
Manchester City's new manager Enzo Maresca lost 3-0 to Premier League champions Arsenal in Sunday's Community Cup.
City, who host Bournemouth in their first match on Sunday, spent £116 million on Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.
However, the sale of Spanish international star Rodri to Barcelona is a huge blow for Maresca.
Maresca noted: 'In 10 games, if we accumulate 10, 20, 30 points. People will compare this to Pep after 10 games. It doesn't put pressure on me.' He continued: 'Someone asked me if it is an impossible task to follow him. Maybe, but at the same time, it is a privilege.'
Among the clubs aiming to overtake City as Arsenal's main rivals is a whole group of teams that have much to prove.
Liverpool was champion in 2025, but Arne Slot's debut turned into a nightmare in a chaotic second season that ended with his dismissal after a disappointing fifth place.
Andoni Iraola arrived from Bournemouth to replace Slot after his impressive work with the lesser-known 'Cherries.'
The departure of Anfield icon Mohamed Salah and concerns about Virgil van Dijk's form create problems for Iraola if Liverpool wants to return to the elite.
Chelsea's new manager Xabi Alonso seeks redemption after the disaster at Real Madrid. His brilliant internal duo at Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 was replaced by a tough period at Real, lasting less than eight months.
The former Liverpool and Spain midfielder began his tenure at Chelsea with a record signing from Britain—Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers for £117 million.
However, reviving a team that failed to meet expectations and finished tenth last season will not be easy.
Michael Carrick became the permanent manager of Manchester United after an impressive interim spell as successor to the unsuccessful Ruben Amorim.
'United' finished third thanks to Carrick's subtle people management, which brought victories over Arsenal and City.
Winning the first title since 2013 is Carrick's next goal, but Arsenal has firmly established itself as a team that must be beaten over the next 10 months.
