Arsenal Set to Open Premier League Title Defence

The 2026/27 Premier League season is set to get underway this evening, with defending champions Arsenal hosting newly-promoted Coventry City.

Mikel Arteta’s men will head into the campaign as clear favourites to retain their title, with Manchester City leading the chasing pack ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

And despite a busy summer, Coventry will go into the season odds-on with the bookmakers to instantly return to the Championship.

Arsenal Gunning For More Success

If Arsenal’s 3-0 thumping of Manchester City in the Community Shield last weekend is anything to go by, it would take a brave punter to go against them for more domestic success.

They’ve already spent upwards of £100 million bolstering their ranks with the signings of Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes, as well as winger Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.

And defensive reinforcements look to be on the way too, with Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa on the verge of a North London move for around £50 million.

Centre back William Saliba is the most notable absentee as he continues his recovery from a back injury he suffered at the World Cup, while Jurrien Timber will miss out after undergoing minor groin surgery in the close season.

Sky Blues Back in the Big Time

This will be a first Premier League campaign for Coventry since the 2000/01 season, when a young Craig Bellamy top-scored before being sold to Newcastle for £6.5m

A lot has happened since then, including a slide all the way down to League Two in 2017, and after play-off final penalty shootout heartbreak at the hands of Luton in 2023, the Sky Blues went one better with a 95-point season to win the second tier last season.

Manager Frank Lampard has smashed the club’s transfer record four times this summer, but they will still go into the season as one of the favourites for the drop.

And they don’t have history on their side when it comes to facing Arsenal, who they haven’t beaten away from home since 1993.

Don't forget to check out Gareth Hinton's 21/20 and 7/10 picks for the 8pm kick-off at the Emirates.