Freddie Ljungberg has stuck with Arsenal as his favourites for the Premier League title as he believes Mikel Arteta gives the club a ‘massive advantage’ over their rivals.
Arsenal sent out a statement to the rest of the division with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Manchester City to get their hands on the Community Shield last month.
The Gunners have followed that up in convincing fashion in the weeks that have passed, no doubt brimming with confidence after bringing their 22-year title drought to a halt last term.
A run of four straight wins means Arsenal sit top of the table alongside last year’s runners-up, City, who also boast a 100 per cent record at this embryonic stage of the 2026/27 campaign.
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The Community Shield will have come as a wake-up call to Enzo Maresca, who took over the reins from the great Pep Guardiola this summer, but the Italian has responded in style.
Victory in Sunday’s highly controversial Manchester derby at Old Trafford took City to 12 points from a possible 12 – and Maresca’s men will look to pick up where they left off at home to Sunderland this weekend.
The champions, meanwhile, head to the south coast to do battle with Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
Asked if Arteta’s side remained his favourites to win this year’s title following the weekend’s action, Arsenal Invincible Ljungberg told Viaplay: ‘100 per cent, I think they are.
‘I think Arsenal have a massive advantage of having the same manager for a long time and they know exactly how they want to play.
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‘It’s going to be tight and as we’ve seen with Arsenal, they’re tight games, but they’re still winning them and that is so key.
‘So 100 per cent, I think Arsenal are the favourites.’
Ljungberg’s Viaplay colleague Peter Schmeichel has been similarly impressed by Arsenal – even in matches where they have not necessarily been at their best.
‘This is what Arsenal can do, even in games where they don’t play well,’ the former Manchester United goalkeeper said of the Gunners’ 2-0 win at the Stadium of Light.
Will Arsenal defend their title this season?
‘We went to Sunderland last season and their home record was unbelievable and at the weekend as well, they played so well, they gave them a really good fight, and Arsenal still came out of that game smelling of roses.’
Arsenal did the double over their next Premier League opponents, Brighton, last season, coming out 2-0 winners at the Emirates before edging past Fabian Hurzeler’s side in a 2-1 victory on the south coast.
It has been an up-and-down start to the 2026/27 campaign for the Seagulls, with a win, a draw and a loss coming after their thumping 4-0 defeat of Aston Villa on the opening weekend.
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