Premier League title race: Arsenal are "firm favourites" to retain the championship this season

Arsenal are the major favourites to win this season's Premier League title, says Sports Mole's Site Coordinator and Gunners expert Ben Knapton.

Ben Knapton, Site Coordinator: "I am convinced of that"

The pre-season friendlies were very underwhelming at face value. That Community Shield was a different story entirely. The league is done already, and I am convinced of that. 

Man City never really laid a glove on Arsenal. I thought it would be another penalty shootout victory like three years ago. 

I am going to put another bold one out there. Chelsea might be the biggest threat to Arsenal's title this season. Liverpool, Man United, and Man City are the obvious contenders. 

Man United did not have European football last season and were very good in the second half of the campaign, but this season they have the Champions League to juggle as well. 

Chelsea do not. They have had significant investment in their squad, as is the standard with them. Arsenal are the firm favourites. 

My big concern is that Saliba is out for a while. He might be out until the end of the calendar year. The Konsa reports have really eased my concerns in that regard. He can play right back if Timber or Ben White are out for a sustained period. 

The theme of Arsenal's transfer business this summer is buying for the present. Konsa is 28, Guimaraes is 28 or 29. They are not planning for the future. 

They are planning to win another league title and the Champions League. What Andrea Berta has done this summer is clear evidence of that. 

Last year everyone said the same thing about Liverpool. Look what happened. It is a risky game to play, but Arsenal are the firm favourites and I am already convinced they will retain the title. 

The midfield was always the intriguing question, particularly during pre-season. Arsenal were not great during pre-season, particularly defensively, and there was no real semblance of a first-choice midfield. 

Pre-season featured Lewis-Skelly, Havertz, and Nwaneri in midfield, which with no disrespect to any of them is not comparable to what Odegaard and Tzolis showed against Man City in the Community Shield. 

I would not be surprised if Declan Rice is rested. Over the World Cup, you could see he was a player who just needed a long break. With Guimaraes, Zubimendi, Merino, and Lewis-Skelly, the midfield options are now far more plentiful. 

Lewis-Skelly has really impressed in that role. I would not be surprised if Rice is on the bench for this one, kept in reserve for when the Champions League starts. 

The midfield trio should be very similar to what we saw in Cardiff: Guimaraes, Odegaard, and Lewis-Skelly. Bukayo Saka will most likely come in over Noni Madueke. 

Tzolis over Martinelli is a given. There is also the subplot of Victor Gyokeres facing his former club, having scored 43 goals for them. 

He did not start against Man City, though. Havertz started and got the second goal. Donnarumma should have done better for that. It was not the most powerful header, but it showed that Havertz can operate effectively alongside Odegaard. 

There was also a good link-up with Tzolis for the assist. The only change from Cardiff should be Saka coming in for Madueke. I am confident Guimaraes will start, and hopeful that Lewis-Skelly keeps that midfield spot as well.