Last season, Arsenal had to settle for a painfully familiar ending to the campaign as they once again fell short of ending their agonising wait for Premier League success.
They finished the 2024/25 season as runners-up in the Premier League, making it three consecutive second-place finishes under Mikel Arteta’s leadership.
Arteta has done a fantastic job turning the Gunners into perennial challengers for major honours, but he hasn’t found the winning formula just yet.
The silver medals are starting to feel more like missed opportunities than signs of progress.
The new season gives Arsenal and Arteta a clean slate. Another shot at glory. Once again, they’ll head into the new campaign as favourites to win the Premier League.
Whether or not they’ll finally get the job done this time is anyone’s guess, but it does feel like the coming season could be make or break for Arteta.
How the season pans out depends on how they handle some of the biggest games of the season.
Fans will be keeping an eye on the calendar for the North London Derby, but games against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City could also define their campaign.
Man City tickets will particularly do numbers on Seatsnet.com. Arteta seems to have found Guardiola’s number, so it’ll be interesting to see how both sides fare when they face off next season.
The transfer window
Arsenal didn’t get off to a fast start during the summer transfer window, but they’ve picked up the pace in recent weeks, with the Gunners already welcoming five new faces to the Emirates Stadium.
Surprisingly, two of those fresh recruits came from fierce capital rivals Chelsea, with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke swapping West London for the Gunners.
Arrizabalaga will back up first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, while Madueke has been brought in to provide cover for Bukayo Saka on the right flank.
The former Chelsea ace is also adept at playing on the left and could give Gabriel Martinelli a run for his money, but rumour has it that the Gunners are looking to bring in Eberechi Eze to do just that.
Arsenal have also brought in Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad to replace Thomas Partey.
Christian Norgaard joined from Brentford to add more steel to the midfield, while highly rated centre back Cristhian Mosquera came in from Valencia to bolster Arteta’s options at centre-back.
However, the headline addition for Arsenal this summer is the arrival of Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.
After a transfer saga that has kept Arsenal fans and even neutrals on the edge of their seats, the Gunners have finally found common ground with their Portuguese counterparts.
Gyokeres has yet to be officially announced as an Arsenal player, but an official announcement is all that remains, as all the final details have reportedly been sorted.
For a long time, it’s been painfully obvious that a prolific striker could give Arsenal that extra oomph that they need to get the biggest prize in the country.
It has been neglected over the past few years, with Saka, Martinelli and the others delivering the goods.
However, Gyokeres’ arrival is a massive statement that shows that Arsenal are ready to give it a right go this time around.
Key Arsenal fixtures in 2025/26
After three years of falling short in the title race, Arsenal head into the 2025/26 season with a point to prove and their fixture list is loaded with blockbuster encounters that could shape their campaign.
They’ll set the tone for the rest of the season with a blockbuster curtain raiser against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Theatre of Dreams hasn’t always been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal, so getting three points there to start the season would be a massive statement of intent.
Just two weeks later, Arsenal head to Anfield to take on Liverpool. Like Old Trafford, Liverpool’s fortress has been impenetrable for Arsenal for over a decade.
You’d have to go back to September 2012 for the last time Arsenal left Anfield with maximum points courtesy of goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla.
The mouth-watering clash would also be a huge test of ambition for both sides. Then comes the first major showdown at the Emirates as Arsenal welcome Man City on September 20.
Arsenal thrashed Man City 5-1 in this fixture last season. Both sides have come a long way since then, so a repeat of that scoreline will send a message to the rest of the league.
Fast forward to November 22, and it’s time for the season’s first North London Derby, as Arsenal welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Emirates.
You can expect Spurs tickets to sell out on Seatsnet.com for this emotionally charged fixture.
Tottenham are a side in transition, but they’re heading into the season as Europa League holders and will be determined to reclaim their place in the upper echelons of the Premier League.
The start of 2026 brings two huge home fixtures in quick succession. On January 7, Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the capital, followed by Man United on January 24.
The Emirates has become a fortress for Arsenal in recent seasons, and back-to-back wins here could be pivotal in keeping pace with the top of the table.
The reverse North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium takes place on February 21.
Last season’s encounter in N17 ended in fireworks and controversy, and fans can expect nothing less this time around, considering that this fixture is always a must-win for both sides regardless of the occasion.
As the season nears its climax, Arsenal’s final major test comes on April 18, with an away trip to the Etihad Stadium to take on Man City.
Depending on what the standings look like at this stage of the season, this tie could potentially be a title decider. Arsenal have had mixed fortunes at the Etihad, and any result here will be hard-earned.
Finally, Arsenal round off their campaign at home against Crystal Palace on May 24.
While it may not appear glamorous on paper, final-day fixtures can be decisive in title races or Champions League qualification battles.
Arsenal 2025/26 key dates
- August 17, 2025: Manchester United (a)
- August 30, 2025: Liverpool (a)
- September 20, 2025: Manchester City (h)
- November 22, 2025: Tottenham Hotspur (h)
- January 7, 2025: Liverpool (h)
- January 24, 2025: Manchester United (h)
- February 21, 2026: Tottenham Hotspur (a)
- April 18, 2026: Manchester City (a)
- May 24, 2025: Crystal Palace (h)
