The Gunners start fighting against Manchester United, Arteta makes a bold statement to win the championship, can he really break the "runner-up curse"?

On the evening of August 17, in the opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season, Arsenal will challenge Manchester United away. This game is not only the first competition in the new season, but also a psychological competition. The Gunners, who won the second place in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons, are eager to complete a breakthrough in the new season and remove the "runner-up curse".

In the transfer market this summer, Arsenal can be said to be making frequent moves. The team signed Zubimendi, Nolgo, Maduaike, Moscra and Yorke, and the lineup was strengthened in all aspects. The newly appointed sports director Berta is very busy, and every operation reveals the team's ambition - they not just want to win the championship, but want to truly build up their strength and fill every weak link. At the pre-match press conference, Arteta was full of confidence. He said bluntly: "You have to keep digging because one day gold will appear. It takes time. In the past three seasons, we have won more points than other teams, which shows that we are strong enough. Now, we have to get more points than others in a full season, or have a better goal difference."

Interestingly, the Mirror pointed out that Arteta's statement is not completely accurate. Statistics show that in the past three seasons, the team with the highest points was actually Manchester City led by Guardiola, with a total of 251 points; Arsenal followed closely with 247 points, while Liverpool scored 233 points. Data tells us that Arteta's statement of "the most stable team" is more like a psychological suggestion than a factual statement. The fans' reactions were also quite direct. Some fans joked: "If Arteta were true, Arsenal would have won three league titles long ago." Another part said that Arteta's words were passionate, "Although he had not reached the peak of 90 points, he seemed to have experienced a fierce championship battle when speaking."

In addition to his linguistic heroism, Arteta is also full of confidence in his actual preparations for the new season. He said that the preseason was very successful, the team's lineup has undergone significant adjustments, and the speed of new players' integration is also satisfactory. Arteta believes that the team has been fully prepared for the new season and every game will be an opportunity to test the goal.

For Arsenal, the opening match against Manchester United is not only a battle of points, but also a psychological first battle. The situation of Premier League championship competition in the new season is still complicated: Liverpool’s big bet, Manchester City’s blood swap, Chelsea’s potential dark horse... Any small mistake may cause unexpected fluctuations in the standings. The challenge for Arteta and the Gunners is how to send a strong signal in the first round: this team is no longer just a runner-up harvester, but a real champion.

The new season has just started, but judging from the lineup, signings and psychological state, Arsenal has shown a stance to win the championship. Whether the first round away game between Manchester United can start successfully will lay the groundwork for the direction of the entire season. This game is not only the classic Premier League showdown that fans are looking forward to, but also the first test for the Gunners to verify whether their gamble can be fulfilled.