Forward Gabriel Jesus looked sharp when he came on as a substitute against Lyon [Alexander Canillas/SPP]

HERE we go. After spending the summer faffing around with the Euros, the real business of the Premier League is back. And for Arsenal, the goal is clear: finish above Manchester City.

The positives and platitudes that come with being perennial runners-up are starting to wear thin, although Arsenal have shown solid progress over the past two seasons – finishing five points behind City in 2022/23, while they were just two points adrift last term.

Now the pressure is really mounting on Mikel Arteta and if the Spaniard wants to continue with his project of making Arsenal great again, surely he has to win the title, or, at the very least, put in another Herculean effort in the league while also capturing one of the cups.

Obviously Champions League glory would more than suffice, but with the competition undergoing something of a facelift and returning with a more confused look, and even more fixtures, there’s every chance supporters will be more irritated than excited by big European nights this season.

Besides, there are young Gooners who have grown up and gone off to university without ever seeing their beloved club dominate domestically. To them the Invincibles are nothing more than folklore, something Arsenal fans with greying goatees and thinning hairlines bang on about while diminishing City’s cash-splurging efforts in recent years.

Surely after more than two decades of waiting, the Premier League trophy is the one Arsenal supporters want first and foremost, isn’t it?
“114 points! If we do that, we win the league for sure,” Arteta joked recently when asked what it would take for Arsenal to be crowned champions. “This is the objective, and from there let’s see where we get. But this has to be the target, to win every single game.”

The Gunners will go into their opening match against Wolverhampton Wanderers this Saturday at the Emirates exactly where they left off last season, which might not be as good as it sounds.

It was like they had never been away from Ashburton Grove on Sunday when they beat Lyon 2-0 to wrap up their pre-season by lifting the Emirates Cup. Arteta’s side once again showed off their set-piece prowess with centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel grabbing the goals, while the attacking flair at the other end of the pitch squandered any good opportunities that came their way.

Kai Havertz more often than not looks like a player who is happiest when starting in midfield and able to see and run into the danger areas in front of him. Gabriel Jesus, who of course still dons Arsenal’s number nine, looked sharp when he came on as a second half substitute against Lyon. The Brazilian forward has enjoyed an eye-catching pre-season but, like Havertz, can be too unreliable, and is therefore expected to start many games from the bench.

Overall, Arsenal’s final pre-season outing summed up why Gooners have been pleading with their club all summer to buy a proven striker – one that as of yet shows no sign of arriving.

Like a well-rehearsed politician, Arteta pulled the positives from the win over Lyon and glossed over the feeble firepower that his side is forced to rely on upfront.

“We are constantly evolving everything we do,” insisted the Gunners boss. “Today we scored from two set-pieces which was good as it gave us confidence. It gives us a platform and a different threat and worry for the opponent. We could have scored a lot of goals from a lot of different situations in the game, which is really pleasing to see as well.”

Maybe they could have scored a lot of goals – but they didn’t.

And that’s why Arsenal fans will be keeping their fingers crossed in the hope that Arteta has one more trick up his sleeve in the shape of a ruthless striker who would rather shoot than pass.