'Manchester City are the team to beat'

Arsenal enjoyed an eight-point lead over City until mid-March but lost it at the end of April and will now look to seek revenge in Sunday's traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season, in the Community Shield, at Wembley.

Arsenal are determined to fight for all trophies in the new season as the Premier League runners-up begin their 2023-24 campaign against treble winners Manchester City in the Community Shield, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.

Arsenal's title challenge crumbled last season in the face of a relentless City, who have won three successive top-flight titles before winning their maiden Champions League crown in June.

Arsenal enjoyed an eight-point lead over City until mid-March but lost it at the end of April and will now look to seek revenge in Sunday's traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season at Wembley.

Arteta, 41, served as assistant to Pep Guardiola at City from 2016-2019 before taking the reins at the north London club and leading them to the FA Cup trophy in his first season in charge.

Since then, he has helped Arsenal qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. Arteta said he wants his team to build on the momentum from last season and elevate it to new heights.

"Very excited to play a final to win a trophy, we are playing against the team to beat," Arteta told reporters.

"This is what we want (a new era for Arsenal), fighting for every trophy. We have to prove that. What we did last year was not enough to win the big trophy, and we have to be better.

"We have to try and maintain the level and improve it for them (fans)."

Arsenal have already added more depth to their young squad with the additions of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber in the close season, but Arteta said the work is not over as he looks to bolster his team's chances.

Arsenal have most recently been linked with a move for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.

"We are in the process (of squad building) We are working on a few things - there is still time to do that. We are happy with the squad we have for sure," Arteta said.

"We want a healthy competition in the squad and we're working on that."