The 2025-26 season was one that will never be forgotten for Arsenal fans as it ended with coach Mikel Arteta lifting the Premier League title after many years of trying.
On Sunday, they also sent a strong warning to the rest of the teams when they walloped Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield in Cardiff. City had been Arsenal’s biggest rivals in recent league races, and with the departure of Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, the Citizens seem to be scattered and all over the place as they rebuild.
According to the BBC, the Gunners may be English Premier League champions, but Arteta expects his side “to go to the next level” during the 2026-27 season. The defending champions will start their new campaign against Coventry on Friday at home. After blasting City, Arteta and his boys will be looking to start the league like a house on fire.
It took just 23 seconds to stun the Citizens in Cardiff when Riccardo Calafiori put them ahead, in a move that saw three defenders combine in the final third as they threw everything at City as early as possible.
And that breakthrough paved the way for a comfortable victory after further goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, who collected the silverware at the final whistle after a team display that thrilled his manager.
READ: Arsenal coach Arteta feels a shift in energy after reaching UEFA final
Said an enthralled Arteta on the Gunners’ website after the impressive win over City on Sunday: “I’m really happy, so happy with the performance, with the desire that we showed and the manner that we competed. It was a good test for us to understand where we were, and to win it in a manner that we’ve done it against this opposition, I think credit to the boys.”
“When you win something big like this, you fight so much for it, and you go through that emotion, you win it again, and you want it again. That’s what we want,” he added.
He remarked about the high standard of play, and that to build an incredible squad, they need to push everybody every day to make each other better.
“We know what the Premier League brings and it’s a huge challenge every week, and Coventry is going to be a big one on Friday. So now we have to recover after a massive shift today. But I really liked, again, the desire and the will that the team showed,” said Arteta.
- Arsenal won the 2025-26 Premier League title and defeated Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield in Cardiff.
- Riccardo Calafiori scored the opening goal in the Community Shield just 23 seconds into the match.
- Additional goals in the Community Shield were scored by Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.
- Arsenal's coach Mikel Arteta said the team must "go to the next level" in the 2026-27 season and praised the team's desire and performance.
- Arsenal will start the 2026-27 Premier League campaign at home against Coventry on Friday.
