Arsenal's season could rely on two key areas of the field, and more importantly, two key players. Although it's the depth of the squad that is a concern heading into the final three weeks of the transfer window, Mikel Arteta will need to rival some of the best individuals in Premier League history in order to push for more than a top four spot this season.
Although just getting back into the Champions League itself would be a big achievement, especially with as many as six clubs fighting for the key European places, Arsenal's preparation this summer has seen them billed as competing for more than just a top four position.
The Gunners started the season off with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace and have a favourable start to the campaign on paper, something they must take advantage of in order to truly battle with Chelsea and Tottenham, let alone Liverpool and Manchester City.
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Whereas Arteta doesn't have the financial powers of Pep Guardiola's side and nor can he afford to spend £80m on a first choice striker like Jurgen Klopp has this window too, Arsenal's transfer business this summer has been astute and impressive. But there is still a big gap to close.
Although it is a fresh season and Arsenal have a slender two point head start on the Reds and a three point gap to Erik ten Hag's Manchester United side, they are competing with two of the league's best sides and best players. When this period is done, Virgil Van Dijk will be spoken about as one of the best performing centre-backs that has been seen in England and Mo Salah is one of the goal-scoring greats. No matter the progress made by Arsenal this summer, they are asking a lot of a young team to compete with this.
So it comes down to 21-year-old William Saliba to be Arsenal's own version of Van Dijk and to play that key defensive role. It may seem like a big task for a player that only made his debut at the weekend, but his introduction to the league has attracted many plaudits, including former-Arsenal defender William Gallas, who said, "Saliba is a really good player. He had a great season at Marseille, now he's back at Arsenal, it is a big step. He will show what he can really do. Last season he was upset to leave Arsenal on loan.
"When I look at him, he reminds me of a player I used to play against, and that player is Rio Ferdinand. If you look at how Saliba plays, and how Rio did when he was young, they have the same style.
"I didn't say he will have the same career, but I hope he does. He just has a similar style to Ferdinand. I think Saliba will surprise a lot of people, as he plays more games and gains more confidence, because he has pressure on his shoulders, he's still so young and has much to prove, he will be even better."
At the other end of the pitch is a demand for goals. Guardiola is lucky enough to be in a position to sell more than 160 league goals in one window and still have possibly the best striker in the league, but Arsenal's signing of Gabriel Jesus has been hailed brilliantly.
The Brazilian is now the star of the show and is expected to take his game to a new level as the main man at the Emirates, but he will have to match the scoring of Erling Haaland if Arsenal are to be a force high up in the table this season.
It isn't necessarily a requirement to outscore the Norwegian forward, but with the levels of goal-scoring power possessed by the top sides, there isn't going to be long for Jesus before he is needed to power Arsenal through games, and it's something that Gallas thinks he can do.
"Jesus definitely has that potential [to be top scorer]," he said. "We saw that at Manchester City.
"I watched Man City vs West Ham, Haaland is going to be the top scorer in the Premier League. In his first game he scored two goals straightaway and it shows he's ready for a new league and country. Jesus won't be too far from Haaland."
With their own answers for the brilliance of Haaland and Van Dijk, Arsenal are in as good a position to be truly competitive in the league as they ever have been, and it's convinced Gallas that they might even have the edge on last year's runners up: "Liverpool always concede goals too, like against Fulham. Even if I like how they play, I think it will be City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.
"As an ex-London player, I have to say Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham to win the Premier League. After watching Man City, they are still strong, Liverpool will still be there.
"It will be difficult for the London clubs to be honest. If Chelsea does not buy the right striker, they will not finish in the top four. Arsenal will be in the top four for sure.
This only brings about extra pressure on Arteta though, and the Gunners now have no place to hide. "Of course he [Arteta] will be in trouble [if Arsenal don't finish in the top four]," Gallas added.
"Arteta has been asked to make the top four and he didn't do it last season. If Arsenal don't play in the Champions League next season, it would cause a lot of drama. They have to have a great season, possibly win the Premier League, but definitely to qualify for the Champions League.
"They have just bought new players, it's in the hands of Arteta and the players. It will be a big problem for all of them if they don't do their job to qualify in the Champions League."
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