EPL 2024-25: Can Arsenal finally end City's dominance?

Arsenal must step up to another level this season if they are to win the Premier League after two agonising near misses, manager Mikel Arteta said ahead of his team's Premier League opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Arteta's side ended with 89 points last season and scored more goals and conceded fewer than in the previous campaign but once again finished runners-up behind Manchester City.

"Break more of those records again and win more points that's for sure," the Spaniard told reporters on Friday when asked what Arsenal need to do this season to win the title.

"It won't be enough (last season's levels). With the level we are competing with, and every season is getting harder, we are going to have to improve again that's for sure."

Arsenal took the race to the final day last season and are strongly tipped to end City's dominance this time and prevent Pep Guardiola's side winning a fifth successive title.

"Since the last day I think we had a gathering together with all the club players and the players said to me we're going to do it, we want more, we're not going to stop here and we want much more," Arteta said.

New defensive signing Riccardo Calafiori will be in line for his debut against Wolves while Dutch fullback Jurrien Timber is also available for the north London club after missing almost a year with a knee injury.

Arsenal will be without defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney though.

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has had to deal with the sale of two players in the summer, with winger Pedro Neto going to Chelsea and defender Max Kilman to West Ham United.

"We knew fairly early that Max and Pedro would leave in this window. We've worked really hard in identifying what happens from there, and that's currently being worked on," he said.

"My focus is solely on the players that I have, building and working my socks off to get the most out of them and give them the best opportunity to show what they are."

Slot happy with strong Liverpool squad ahead of his first Premier League game

Arne Slot was not able to sign some of the players he wanted ahead of his first Premier League game as Liverpool manager but the Dutchman said on Friday that he was happy with the strength of the squad Juergen Klopp had left him.

Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi decided not to join Liverpool despite the club's best efforts, Slot told reporters, adding that it was difficult to find players who would improve his squad.

"We go forward with the ones we have," Slot said ahead of Saturday's visit to newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

"(Wataru) Endo did well in pre-season. We're in a good place... Zubimendi decided not to come, we did every effort. If a player decides not to come then it's obvious he's not coming."

Slot said he was happy with how quickly he had been able to implement his playing style at Liverpool, who won their tenth League Cup last season.

"Juergen left the team in a good place and we are trying to build from there... we're not changing everything. Actually, we (didn't) change that much because many things were already good," he said.

"Fortunately for me, a lot of this playing style the boys already knew, because many things have stayed the same and we have tried to adjust where we can to improve the team.

"Last season was also a season where they could win a trophy with this team, so we are hoping and aiming for the same."

The former Feyenoord manager said there were no easy matches in the Premier League and his players were ready to face Ipswich.

"They did really well in the last few years under their manager (Kieran McKenna). It's interesting to see what's going to happen tomorrow," Slot added.

Ten Hag says United not ready for season opener, but will have newcomers available

Erik ten Hag will have newcomers Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui available for Friday's season opener just days after they signed from Bayern Munich, but the manager lamented that his team is not quite ready for the new Premier League campaign.

United kick off their season against Fulham at Old Trafford but have had little time to integrate the new players, Ten Hag said.

"It's true, it's not the pre-season where in five to six weeks you work on a team, it's very complicated," the Dutchman said at a press conference on Thursday.

"The USA tour squad, and then we added the players (who had been at) Euros and Copa America and now new signings, and we have to make a team from it.

"That team is not ready, but the league starts and more managers have this problem. Still, we have some room, have some principles and we have to make a start. We can't hide, we have to deal with it."

Harry Maguire will feature in Friday's squad after the defender missed England's Euro 2024 campaign due to his recovery from injury.

But left back Luke Shaw will not be available. Shaw played in England's final three games at Euro 2024 after battling a troublesome hamstring injury that resulted in him missing most of last season.

"He will return in the short term, it doesn't take long," Ten Hag said. "We are looking forward, of course, for Luke Shaw. A very important player for our team so we want to get him back as soon as possible but we can't force this process."

Ten Hag said Mazraoui, Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot can all fill in at left back.

While there was plenty of speculation about Ten Hag's job last season as United finished eighth in the Premier League, the 54-year-old signed a new contract to stay at the club until 2026 after they upset Manchester City to win the FA Cup.

Ten Hag has high hopes for the team this season.

"We know our targets, we know our direction," he said. "Now we have to integrate new players where we think they can improve the team levels and to take it from there.

"(Our expectations) are always very high, we want to go for trophies."

Maresca calls for patience as he seeks to turn around Chelsea's fortunes

New Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has asked for patience ahead of their Premier League opener against reigning champions Manchester City, as the Italian tries to turn around the west London side's fortunes after a series of underwhelming seasons.

Chelsea, who finished sixth last campaign and 12th in the 2022-23 season, hired the 44-year-old Maresca in June after he guided Leicester City to the English Championship title in his first season in charge.

Chelsea have gone big again in the transfer window, splashing out around 160 million pounds ($206.50 million) on signing players such as Portuguese winger Pedro Neto, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Swedish-Danish goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

"We are going to try and do our best to win games," Maresca, who had a spell as one of Pep Guardiola's assistant managers at City, told reporters on Friday.

"The big difference between us, in this moment, and other teams is that it is just a matter of time. Some clubs work with a manager for eight years, so with time we will close the gap and hopefully that can happen soon.

"Sometimes it (time) sounds like an excuse from managers and I know timing in football is difficult, but in our case with the process and ideas we will close the gap.

"We need their (fans) support because when you are on the pitch and you can hear the fans behind the team it is like 12 players. If they support us and be patient then we will pay them back with performance and results."

Chelsea will be without captain Reece James after the 24-year-old right back picked up a hamstring injury.

Maresca said midfielder Conor Gallagher, 24, was training apart and would not be available for Sunday's clash at Stamford Bridge. Gallagher was close to a move to LaLiga club Atletico Madrid but British media reports said it had been put on hold.

"He is trying to find a solution with the club," Maresca said.

Newcastle squad in better place ahead of opener, says Howe

Newcastle United are already dealing with injuries to key players but are in a better place compared to last season when it seemed that more of Eddie Howe's squad were in the treatment room than on the training ground.

"I think we are definitely in a better position than we were for the majority of last season, certainly to the back end of last season," Howe told a press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday's opening Premier League clash with Southampton.

"We have got (goalkeeper) Nick Pope back fully fit -- I'll touch wood with all of these because we have still got training before we play. (Midfielder) Joe Willock is in a lot better place. I wouldn't say he's 100% match fit; he's had two games, trained well and is certainly on the road to being the Joe Willock we all know and love.

"Several others are in a lot better physical condition than last year."

Newcastle will be without striker Callum Wilson though after he underwent minor back surgery, although Howe is confident he will be available before long. They are also still without long-term injured Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman.

"Callum will be back in the early part of the season," Howe said. "He's probably a couple of weeks away. He's making really good progress. To be honest, he wants to push a bit faster, but we're just trying to manage the situation."

Newcastle, who finished seventh last season and missed out on Europe having played in the Champions League last time, will also be boosted by the imminent return of Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali as he completes a ban for breaking betting rules.

Tonali will be eligible from Aug. 28.

"He has handled himself really well in this period; I am sure he has had some hard days. He has trained really well and has been a great teammate. I know how focused and excited he is for his return," Howe said.

The 24-year-old Tonali was banned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in October 2023, and was also given a two-month suspended ban by the English Football Association (FA) for contravening betting rules following his move to the Premier League.

The former Milan player attended treatment sessions for problem gamblers and has given talks to warn about the dangers of gambling addiction.

Tonali scored on his league debut with Newcastle last season, his only goal in 12 appearances with the club before his ban went into effect on Oct. 27 of last year. The suspension also made him ineligible to play for Italy at Euro 2024.