Arsenal 2-0 Wolves: Mikel Arteta’s side are showing the willigness and intensity to mount a Premier League title charge

David Raya was player of the match, Bukayo Saka scored the result-sealing goal and Declan Rice was his usual, industrious self.

All three Arsenal players were on international duty at the Euro 2024 final just 34 days ago, and the trio made the difference at both ends of the pitch as Arsenal’s title challenge got off to another strong start.

Meanwhile, Man City will be without the injured Rodri for Sunday’s opener against Chelsea, shown live on Sky Sports, while Phil Foden and Kyle Walker will be without pre-season minutes. Saka, Rice and Raya have all played three games since the European final.

“I’m not surprised,” Mikel Arteta said after the game when asked about his players’ attitude on returning from international duty so soon. “That was their attitude straight after (the Europa League final). They said: ‘We’re ready for the first game’.”

“After the summer I spoke to them and tried to make plans. They wanted to come back early and come here. They were already preparing for their holidays.”

“That’s the mentality we need. If the players accept this compromise, it will develop within the team and the level will rise.”

This isn’t the only example of Arsenal’s mentality levelling up this summer. Arteta has taken his players, who did not feature in either the Euros or Copa America, to Marbella for a pre-season training camp in order to get a head start on the season and title challenge.

And that desire to bounce back quickly has carried over onto the pitch in their final three games at the Emirates since returning from the US tour. In their 4-1 friendly win over Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal put the German champions under high pressure and showed that drive to take a 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes, scoring two goals in the space of a minute.

Four days later, they overpowered Lyon in a similar fashion, taking a 2-0 lead inside 26 minutes and giving the French side no chance. In Saturday’s game against Wolves, the Gunners put so much pressure on their opponents that the visiting team had no choice but to concede a “very aggressive, very intense” lead to Arteta’s team, according to the Arsenal manager.

“What I’ve seen is drive. “Whether we succeed or not, we have to show that with our play and our results every day,” he added. That’s created a cauldron at the Emirates, drawing attention from outside the Arsenal bubble. “We all know Arsenal fans are smelling another title challenge and the possibility of winning their first title in years,” Wolves manager Gary O’Neill said. “It’s a scary place to be.”

And of course, Pep Guardiola will have his team in order. Foden, Rodri and Walker will get the minutes they need, and even the idea of ​​doubting the only team in the Premier League to win four consecutive titles might seem foolish.

But Arsenal have suffered further heartache over the past two years, especially the heartbreaking loss of the title on the final day of last season. Now they have unprecedented drive, best shown by Arteta’s hard-working players who have returned to the attack this season.

This is an early sign of Arsenal this season: they don’t need the title, they really want it. City manager Guardiola said he got a message from Arsenal at the end of last season that they would attack again in a few years. The champions have a different message: Arsenal are ready for the season – what are City made of?

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