Assessing Arsenal’s opening six Premier League fixtures of the 2024/25 season
Arsenal’s opening six games of the 2024/25 Premier League season could be a true test of their title ambitions, offering a glimpse into whether they can finally bridge the gap and dethrone Manchester City.
The Gunners have finished the previous two Premier League campaigns as runners-up behind Pep Guardiola’s side and will be determined to go one better this season.
Last season was particularly heartbreaking for Arsenal as they narrowly missed out on the coveted title by just two points.
The 2024/25 season is on the horizon, and the Gunners will attack the new campaign with renewed optimism, desperate to end their 21-year Premier League title drought.
Arsenal will get the ball rolling on August 17, and their opening six games will be a trial by fire. However, it could also be an opportunity for the Gunners to lay the groundwork for a sustained title challenge.
While the schedule throws Arsenal into the deep end from the get-go, the fans will eagerly anticipate the first north London derby of the season.
The Gunners travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to take on their arch-nemesis Tottenham Hotspur in what promises to be a fiery encounter.
The north London derby is famous for delivering plenty of fireworks and tantalising narratives, with each side playing for pride and bragging rights.
Both sides will be keen to grab maximum points, setting the stage for a box office showdown, with Tottenham tickets available at seatsnet.com at unbeatable prices.
Read on as we analyse Arsenal’s opening six games of the 2024/25 season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) – August 17
Arsenal will raise the curtains on the 2024/25 season on home turf, playing host to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners will head into the game as overwhelming favourites, but underestimating Wolves could prove costly.
Wolves finished 14th last season, just five points off the top half of the table, but they have a knack for pulling off upsets against the Premier League’s elite.
The Wanderers were one of just three teams that defeated Man City last season, claiming a shocking 2-1 victory at Molineux Stadium.
Despite their thrilling feat, head-to-head records heavily favour Arsenal, and they should have no problems dispatching the West Midlands club.
The Gunners established dominance over Wolves last term, winning both meetings by a combined 4-1 scoreline.
Arsenal will also be looking to extend their six-match winning streak against Wolves, with their last defeat dating back to February 2021.
Aston Villa (A) – August 24
After their duel with Wolves, Arsenal will travel to Birmingham, where they’ll take on 2023/24 surprise package Aston Villa at Villa Park.
This contest carries significant weight for both sides, but Arsenal will view the game as a chance to rewrite a narrative that left a bitter taste in their mouth last season.
Back in April, Unai Emery’s resurgent Villa stunned Arsenal with a 2-0 win at the Emirates to claim back-to-back victories over the Gunners after their previous 1-0 triumph at Villa Park.
The 2-0 defeat put a massive dent on Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations, no thanks to a three-minute double from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins in the dying embers of the games.
Arteta will be keen to ensure Villa do not extend their dominance, but revenge won’t be a cakewalk.
Arsenal enjoyed a four-match winning streak against Villa before the recent setbacks. They’ll be keen to reignite that streak as they head to Birmingham.
Brighton & Hove Albion (H) – August 31
Arsenal then return to home ground to round up their August fixtures by playing host to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls are traditionally a problem for the Premier League’s elite, but they were no match for Arsenal in both encounters last term.
The Gunners established dominance over Roberto De Zerbi’s side, winning both games by a combined 5-0 scoreline.
Brighton replaced De Zerbi with highly-rated German tactician Fabian Hurzeler this summer, making him the youngest manager in the Premier League.
The 31-year-old is an unknown quantity but is hugely popular in Germany for his work at St Pauli after guiding them to the Bundesliga 2 title.
It remains to be seen what the German has in store, which makes Brighton highly unpredictable, but his side will be massive underdogs when they travel to the Emirates.
Arsenal can’t afford to let his honeymoon period get in the way of their lofty ambitions, as any slip-up could prove costly in their pursuit of a strong start to the season.
Tottenham Hotspur (A) – September 14
Arsenal kick off September with a guaranteed firecracker as they take on Tottenham in a mouth-watering north London derby.
Last season’s encounters were nothing short of thrilling as both matches delivered high-scoring affairs, culminating in a 5-4 scoreline.
The north London rivals settled for a share of the spoils at the Emirates and very nearly repeated the cycle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But Arsenal scraped a narrow 3-2 victory.
Fans will ask for more of the same when both sides lock horns, but Arsenal’s record in this fixture speaks to their dominance over Spurs.
They’ve lost just one of their last seven meetings against Spurs (W5, D1) and will fancy their chances of extending their four-match unbeaten streak against their arch-rivals.
Games between these two teams promise plenty of goals, drama, and bragging rights for the winning side, and Arteta’s troops will be keen to cement their position as the dominant force in north London.
Man City (A) – September 21
Arguably the toughest test in their opening fixtures, Arsenal will face the reigning champions Man City at the Etihad.
Guardiola’s troops have been the benchmark for excellence in the Premier League, and Arteta has admitted that his side may have to win every game to beat the champions to the title this season.
Arsenal’s performance against Man City last term was commendable as they claimed a narrow 1-0 win at the Emirates before avoiding defeat in the reverse fixture.
However, the Gunners were criticised for not going for the jugular during the encounter at the Etihad, considering Man City were far from their sparkling best, so it remains to be seen how Arteta will approach this contest.
However, an early victory over Man City would be the ultimate statement of intent from Arsenal and a major confidence booster for the remainder of the season.
Leicester City (H) – September 28
Arsenal’s final fixture in this tough opening stretch sees them welcome newly promoted Leicester City to the Emirates.
With Chelsea poaching Championship-winning manager Enzo Maresca from the King Power Stadium, Leicester have appointed ex-Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper as his successor.
While at Forest, Cooper was a thorn in Arsenal’s flesh, so the Gunners cannot afford to underestimate the Foxes.
However, hosting Leicester in north London could be the perfect tonic for a gruelling opening schedule, and the Gunners should have no problems dispatching the Foxes with relative ease.
