Former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has picked out Manchester United as Arsenal\u2019s \u2018biggest contenders\u2019 in the Premier League this coming season.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Riccardo Calafiori ensured Enzo Maresca\u2019s City reign off to a nightmare start with Arsenal\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
After bringing their 22-year title drought to an end last term, Mikel Arteta\u2019s men begin their defence at home to newly promoted Coventry City on Friday night.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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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\u2019s success.<\/p>\n
Previewing the season on the new Keys & Gray Unleashed YouTube channel, ex-Aston Villa and Everton striker Gray named Arsenal as a \u2018good shout\u2019 for the title and played down City\u2019s chances of lifting the trophy in Maresca\u2019s debut year at the helm.<\/p>\n
\u2018I don\u2019t fancy Manchester City, there you go. I don\u2019t fancy Manchester City with Enzo Maresca,\u2019 Gray said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Arsenal is a good shout. Liverpool, no.<\/p>\n
\u2018Manchester United are a toss of the coin for me. I\u2019m glad they\u2019ve kept Michael Carrick, but I don\u2019t know who would be Arsenal\u2019s biggest contenders.\u2019<\/p>\n
Outside of Arsenal, Gray struggled to pin down any obvious title challengers \u2013 but suggested Xabi Alonso could \u2018surprise everybody\u2019 at Chelsea over the coming months.<\/p>\n
\u2018There are so many teams that we just don\u2019t know what we\u2019re going to get from them and Chelsea are one of the biggest ones for me,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n
\u2018Whatever you think of them, they\u2019ve got a collection of incredibly talented footballs, I don\u2019t think you can deny that.<\/p>\n