Arsenal season betting preview: How likely are the Gunners to end title drought?

This year is Arsenal’s year, according to the optimists. With six acquisitions made, including the eagerly anticipated arrival of a new center-forward, the Gunners have significantly improved their team from the one that found it difficult to stay up with Liverpool the previous campaign.

Heartbreak is becoming all too familiar to Arsenal fans as the team finishes second for the third consecutive season. The pessimists will warn you that more disappointment is coming because of this. They’ll tell you that watching Arsenal is similar to watching a Netflix series since you never know what will happen until the next season.

However, the wave Arsenal has been riding in preseason may actually have some momentum.

They have advanced in practically every role. Max Dowman, another teenage star, is on the horizon, and their talented youngsters, like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, have another year of experience at the bank.

After a season in which they struggled without a recognized No. 9, they suddenly boast one of the Premier League’s most dangerous front lines. The issue for Arsenal is that Liverpool, the defending champions, have also bolstered their roster by spending about £300 million on players like Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, while Alexander Isak, a striker for Newcastle, may still make his way to Anfield.

This transfer window, Chelsea and Manchester City have also demonstrated their intentions and should present difficulties.

Arsenal, who were Liverpool’s only rivals in the title battle the previous year, now face the possibility of a match under far more difficult conditions.

According to the Premier League table for 2024–25, Arsenal and Liverpool each suffered four defeats. The difference was that Liverpool ended up winning five more games while the Gunners drew a staggering fourteen.

Expectations

Take home the title. That is all there is to it. The last time Arsenal won the Premier League was in 2004, and that was more than 20 years ago. For a team the size of the Gunners, that is very bad.

They haven’t won a single title in five years, so manager Mikel Arteta needs to start producing results eventually. His famous adage, “trust the process,” has been parodied by Arsenal’s rival fans, and soon, nobody at the Emirates will believe it.

Indeed, in recent years, Arsenal has emerged as one of the Premier League’s top teams to watch. On the field, they have, in general, been efficient. As a team, they have indeed improved.

All you need to do is look at their improvement from 2021–22 (69 points) to 2022–23 (84 points) and 2023–24 (89 points). Their lack of a prolific scorer and injuries were the main causes of last season’s setback.

Arsenal truly has a chance to win the title now that they have the basics in place once more and have strengthened them with higher-quality players, but they will require an almost flawless season.

How about the cups?  Making it all the way to the Premier League and winning a cup at the end is no small accomplishment. Liverpool was unable to handle it, losing to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final and exiting the Champions League in the knockout stages.

However, most supporters would likely embrace it if Arsenal didn’t win the league title but ended the season with a domestic prize. As a team, that would be measurable progress.

Betting overview

Betfair has backed Arsenal at 9/4 to end their 21-year curse, making them the second-most likely team to win the Premier League title after Liverpool. The Reds have a 7/4 favorite rating.

The 2/15 odds indicate that finishing in the top four should be Arsenal’s norm. They are ranked at 5/6 to finish in the top two once more, so you wouldn’t be shocked if they did.

Arsenal is 14/1 to win the Premier League in addition to the League Cup or Champions League, and they are the favorites to win at least one major trophy this season.

Signings

The Gunners have spent around £200 million on players during this busy summer. The fact that almost every part of the pitch has been improved should largely satisfy Arteta. Kepa Arrizabalaga, who arrived as a bargain price of £5 million from rival Chelsea, is his new goalkeeper and provides the team with a strong alternative to David Raya.

Additionally, they acquired Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera, a versatile defender who adds significant depth to the team by playing both center back and right back.

After prolonged negotiations, Arsenal finally signed Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi for about £60 million in midfield. The team also paid about £12 million to capture Christian Nørgaard, the captain of Brentford.

Noni Madueke, who joined from rival Chelsea for almost £55 million, will serve as Bukayo Saka’s backup and has brought further depth on the wings.

Additionally, after negotiations with Sporting Lisbon dragged on for much of the summer, Arsenal finally got their man by completing a move for Viktor Gyökeres. After scoring 54 goals in 52 games the previous season, he cost Arsenal approximately £63 million and gives the team a true quality goal scorer who may lead them to victory.

Opening matches

There’s no denying that Arsenal’s season has gotten off to a difficult start. The new Premier League season is approaching quickly, so the Gunners had best be prepared.

They begin on August 17 when they travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United. Given the Red Devils’ disastrous season in which they finished in 15th place the previous season, Arsenal would typically feel confident of winning this match. Although Arsenal is the favorite to win the game, Ruben Amorim’s team may be a far more formidable opponent this year following a summer overhaul.

When they host Leeds United, who were just promoted, at the Emirates on August 23, their second game is far more likely to be won. They will then face Liverpool at Anfield on August 31 in an early title-deciding match, which will be a huge test. Who is a legitimate challenger for the title this season will be determined by that. Arsenal will then play Newcastle away and Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at home following the international break. It doesn’t get much more difficult.

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