Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has picked out Manchester United as Arsenal’s ‘biggest contenders’ in the Premier League this coming season.
Arsenal sent out a statement of intent to the rest of the division as they strolled to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Manchester City to get their hands on the Community Shield on Sunday.
Riccardo Calafiori ensured Enzo Maresca’s City reign off to a nightmare start with Arsenal’s opener inside 23 seconds, before Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard struck either side of half-time to put the Gunners out of sight in Cardiff.
After bringing their 22-year title drought to an end last term, Mikel Arteta’s men begin their defence at home to newly promoted Coventry City on Friday night.
Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season.
The English champions will no doubt be brimming with confidence fresh from claiming the first piece of silverware on offer at the weekend, while landing an early blow on Maresca in the process.
Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications.
But difficult matches await Arsenal against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland following their clash with Coventry and Arteta will be aware of the huge challenge that lies ahead in backing up last year’s success.
Previewing the season on the new Keys & Gray Unleashed YouTube channel, ex-Aston Villa and Everton striker Gray named Arsenal as a ‘good shout’ for the title and played down City’s chances of lifting the trophy in Maresca’s debut year at the helm.
‘I don’t fancy Manchester City, there you go. I don’t fancy Manchester City with Enzo Maresca,’ Gray said.
‘Arsenal is a good shout. Liverpool, no.
‘Manchester United are a toss of the coin for me. I’m glad they’ve kept Michael Carrick, but I don’t know who would be Arsenal’s biggest contenders.’
Outside of Arsenal, Gray struggled to pin down any obvious title challengers – but suggested Xabi Alonso could ‘surprise everybody’ at Chelsea over the coming months.
‘There are so many teams that we just don’t know what we’re going to get from them and Chelsea are one of the biggest ones for me,’ he added.
‘Whatever you think of them, they’ve got a collection of incredibly talented footballs, I don’t think you can deny that.