Arsenal say they will embrace being 'hunted' as Premier League 2026-27 opens
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal said they will embrace being "hunted" by title rivals as the 2026-27 Premier League season began at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, August 21, 2026, when the champions host Coventry.
The competition returns just 34 days after the World Cup ended, with Arsenal aiming to consolidate their status after winning the title last season for the first time in 22 years following three successive second-place finishes. The Gunners were given the honour of playing the opening fixture at the Emirates before a full weekend schedule of top-flight matches.
Arsenal enter the campaign as bookmakers' favourites after routing Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield last weekend, and they have added Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis to their squad, with Ezri Konsa set to join from Aston Villa. Arteta said: "We start from scratch, from zero, and we're going to have to prove we are at the level to go back to that position again." He added: "We need to show that desire, and the ambition to be better than what we were last season, a month ago, a week ago."
Addressing the pressure of being favourites, Arteta added: "If you give me the choice, I want to be first, I want to be hunted, and I want to be in control of our future, rather than depending on somebody else." He described the title run as the start of a long process, saying: "We need to breathe because it's going to be a long marathon." Arteta also stated: "We have the ability to improve, to evolve, and that's what I sense and I feel around the club, especially around the players."
Coventry return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after winning promotion from the Championship, a rise that followed a spell in the fourth tier in 2017-18 and two periods where the club was forced to ground-share after financial issues involving their own stadium. Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard warned of the challenge ahead, saying: "We will go through tougher times this year for sure because of the competition we're up against now," and added: "It's just a reality that we need to be ready for."
Manchester City, who finished runners-up last season, begin life without Pep Guardiola when they host Bournemouth on Sunday; Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season after winning 20 trophies in a glorious decade at the Etihad Stadium and Enzo Maresca has taken on the task of succeeding him. Liverpool will be led for the first time by new manager Andoni Iraola in Sunday's trip to Newcastle; Iraola, ex-Bournemouth boss, was appointed to replace Arne Slot, who was sacked following the Reds' disappointing fifth-place finish last season.
Xabi Alonso starts as Chelsea boss with a west London derby at Fulham on Monday, Manchester United open on Saturday at promoted Hull, who return to the top tier for the first time since 2017, while Tottenham, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, travel to Brentford on Saturday. Europa League winners Aston Villa, described in the report as having been ravaged by a host of star departures since last season, head to Brighton on Sunday.
Arsenal's confirmed opener is against Coventry at the Emirates on Friday; other notable fixtures this opening weekend include Manchester City v Bournemouth (Sunday), Liverpool at Newcastle (Sunday), Chelsea v Fulham (Monday), Manchester United at Hull (Saturday), Tottenham at Brentford (Saturday) and Aston Villa at Brighton (Sunday).
